Tom

Pernice, Jr.

TPJ started the week as the fourth alternate, but gained entry when Tom Gillis withdrew. Pernice, Jr. is currently 143rd in earnings in just 11 starts. He’s also 30th on the Champions Tour money list in 15 events. This will be his 16th start at Disney World and his 15th consecutive.

The 52-year-old is fully exempt via the top 125 on last year’s money list, and he’s going to compete as often as he can on the PGA TOUR. This is already his seventh appearance of the year; he’s yet to crack a top 40, however. At PGA National today, he buried six birdies including at both par 3s on The Bear Trap, pouring in a 10'6" roll at the 15th and converting a 14-yarder from the fringe at 17. He closed out his round with his last birdie, that one from 10'6".

TPJ was a late entry. He’s been busy on the PGA TOUR this year but has cashed in just three of seven starts and hasn’t cracked a top 40. This will be his first appearance at Innisbrook since 2009. He’s survived five of six cuts and posted two top 10s at the event.

No loss here, except perhaps to duffer leaguers. TPJ has missed eight consecutive cuts and hasn’t broken 70 in 13 rounds.

While his two Champions Tour starts have resulted in a T3 and a T13, he’s only three (of 12) on the main stage with his best finish a T43 at the Farmers. He’s missed his last seven cuts, including the Wells Fargo last week. His 174th total driving stat will have to improve drasitcally if he’s to have a shot at hoisting the trophy this week.

It’s Pernice’s second Top 10 finish in his last three weeks and his fourth of the 2004 season.

Pernice Jr. circled an eagle and three birdes to five bogeys, taking full advantage of the Modified Stableford scoring system. While he split 12 (of 14) fairways, he found just seven GIR. Fortunately for him, he putted to a 1.429 average on the strength of 25 putts.

Pernice hit lots of fairways and greens in Round 2 but just didn’t make enough putts (30).

Pernice, Jr. will tee it up at the Regions Tradition on the Champions Tour instead. He failed in his bid to qualify for the U.S. Open at the sectional outside Chicago on Monday. TPJ is fully exempt on the PGA TOUR, but he’s cashed in just three of 13 starts, and has missed the cut in his last eight. NOTE: Alternates J.P. Hayes and Mark Hensby have also withdrawn from the St. Jude.

The second weather delay started at 3:19 p.m. ET, so tournament officials waited over three hours before making the decision to call it. The restart is scheduled for 7:00 a.m. on Saturday. Tom Pernice, Jr. opened with a 4-over-par 74 on Thursday but answered with a 4-under 66 to post even-par 140. He’s currently on the positive side of the cut line and looking to end an 0-for-8 skid on the PGA TOUR, but by no means is he safe. The entire afternoon wave of 77 golfers has yet to complete 36 holes. In fact, only six have finished as many as 27. Twelve haven’t logged one full hole in their second rounds. The weather forecast includes a chance for early-morning rain and thunderstorms as well as another risk later on Saturday.