Jerry Kelly keeps two-shot lead at Dominion Energy Charity Classic
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Jerry Kelly’s Round 2 highlights from Dominion Energy
The top three players in the Schwab Cup standings who chose to enter the PGA TOUR Champions Dominion Energy Charity Classic at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond will start Sunday where they started Friday – in the final group.
Jerry Kelly, who’s fourth in the race for the Schwab Cup, remained in the lead after two rounds, while Schwab leader Steven Alker and Padraig Harrington, who’s second, made big moves to join him.
Steve Stricker, who is third in the Schwab Cup standings, skipped the DECC.
Kelly is sitting at 12 under after a second-round 5-under 67 on Saturday. Alker shot a 7-under 65 to climb into second at 10 under, and Harrington
finished with a 67 to move into third, where he’s tied with Doug Barron at 9 under.
Kelly had seven birdies and two bogeys as he maintained his two-stroke lead after the first round.
“I’m in position, that’s all I can ask for,” Kelly said. “Great Sunday playing with Alky (Steven Alker), and it’s where I want to be.”
Kelly couldn’t help but reflect on the past year given that Friday was the one-year anniversary of his wife Carol’s surgery to remove her cancerous right kidney.
“Attitude of gratitude for me out here,” said Kelly, who has Carol with him in Richmond. “One-year anniversary of Carol’s surgery yesterday, so it’s been a long year and we’re in a great place, so that’s it.”
Alker closed his round with three consecutive birdies. He had eight in all, to go with one bogey. He hit 17 greens and putted dramatically better than he did on Friday.
“This is probably the best greens we putt all year,” Alker said. “You just get a nice line, get them going and they’ll go in.”
The Dominion is the first of three Schwab Cup Playoff events. Only the top 54 players in the Schwab Cup standings will advance to the next event, the TimberTech Championship in Boca Raton, Florida. The top 36 after that advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix.
Brian Gay was the day’s biggest mover. The Champions Tour rookie carded an 8-under 64 that propelled him from a tie for 44th into a tie for
fourth. Gay’s round included six birdies and an eagle and was the low round of the tournament so far.
Gay was joined by K.J. Choi, who turned in a 65, and Rob Labritz in fifth place at 8 under.