SEA ISLAND, Georgia (Feb. 6, 2010) -- Weather continued to be a factor in the season's first "major" event in the Golfweek/amateurgolf.com Men's World Rankings at Ocean Forest Golf Club in Georgia on Saturday. But 20 mph winds are a far cry better than the two feet of snow that hit Washington, D.C. Several players even managed to break par on the 7321 yard Rees Jones seaside layout.
Auburn University Sophomore Blayne Barber shot 2-over 74 for a 36-hole total of 3-over 147. Barber holds a tenuous lead over three players, Patrick Reed of Augusta, Georgia; Hunter Hamrick of Mobile, Alabama and Victor Dubuisson of France.
Rounds of the day belonged to Dubuisson, and fiery GB&I Walker Cup player and Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World No. 16 Stiggy Hodgson of England. Hodgson, coming off a disappointing 83 in the first round, came out with guns blazing on Saturday morning with a 4-under 32 on the front nine and his 13-stroke improvement puts him in striking position of the leaders.
The 54-hole stroke play tournament, founded in 2001, was originally meant to be a one-time preview event held by the host club of the 2001 Walker Cup. Former USGA Senior Champion and Ocean Forest Club member Jim Stahl was one of the event's founders, and he continues to be active as the tournament has moved from a single, then biennial, and now an annual competition with some of the world's best amateurs in the field.