THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 7, 1995 TAG: 9510070374
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: FROM STAFF, WIRE REPORTS
DATELINE: LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
It rained on Carl Paulson's parade Friday, but that did nothing to dampen his chances of winning his first PGA Tour event.
Paulson, a Tour rookie from Virginia Beach, continues to lead the Walt Disney World Oldsmobile Classic after Friday's rain-shortened action. None of the golfers completed second-round play, and the tournament has been trimmed to a 54-hole event.
Paulson, from First Colonial High, was 4-under through 14 holes of the second round when play was halted at 11:25 a.m. and suspended for the day three hours later.
That, combined with his 10-under 62 on Thursday, put Paulson 14-under for the tournament - two strokes ahead of Keith Fergus and three ahead of Brad Bryant.
At dawn Thursday, Paulson wasn't even in the Disney field. Now, after making the tournament as the third alternate, his name is atop the leaderboard.
The 24-year-old Paulson tees off at 8:30 a.m. today to finish the final four holes of his second round. If he can hold on to his lead through the completion of the second round today, he will have the spotlight on him Sunday in the final round's last pairing, with a 1:40 p.m. tee time.
The tournament is not scheduled to be shown on television.
The Disney Classic is played on three different courses - the Magnolia, Palm and Lake Buena Vista.
Paulson said his 62 Thursday on the Palm Course was his lowest score ever. Friday at Lake Buena Vista, which he started on the 10th tee, Paulson opened with a birdie and was 4-under after seven holes. He parred out from there.
Second-place Fergus was a classmate of Paulson's at last year's tour qualifying school. Fergus also was 4-under for Friday, in 15 holes. Third-place Bryant was 6-under for the day after 13 holes.
Paulson is battling to avoid going through qualifying school again. A win this week would give him two years of exemption from qualifying for tour events, and a good Disney payday could lift him into the season's 125 top money winners and thus onto next year's all-exempt list.
He currently stands No. 223 on the '95 PGA money list at $31,224. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
Associated Press
Carl Paulson followed his 62 with a 14-hole, 4-under
effort. He and the field finish the second round today.
by CNB