hr: Golfing

Overton and Pernice, who matched the course record on a soft, still day at Congressional with a 63, were at 9-under 131.

Anthony Kim, living up to his billing as the next young threat in golf, appeared poised to catch the leaders until a 11/2-hour storm delay that slowed his momentum. A bogey on the par-5 ninth gave him a 67, three shots behind with Cliff Kresge (65).

Consider how quickly Overton’s prospects have changed.

“I’ve hit a lot of great shots the last few weeks. It’s been frustrating lipping out a lot of putts,” Overton said in a golfweek interview. “And on Monday, made a bunch of putts and saw the ball go in the hole a few times, and it opens the flood gates mentally.”

Pernice did most of his damage around the turn, running off four straight birdies, starting with a 20-footer on the tough par-4 sixth hole that played 494 yards.

Congressional also brought much-needed relief for Steve Stricker, who conceded earlier this week he had hit a mental wall. Stricker was headed for his first trip to the White House with 13 other players for President Bush’s holiday birthday bash.

Steve Marino, who grew up in northern Virginia and had a vocal cheering section that stuck with him when the rain arrived, shot 70 and joined Stricker in the large group at 135 that included Jeff Maggert (65), Billy Mayfair (68) and John Merrick, who finished his round with five 3s – three birdies, a par and an eagle – for a 64.

Even without tournament host Tiger Woods in the field, it says plenty of Kim to play his best golf on two of the top PGA Tour courses this year – Quail Hollow and Congressional.

He was playing with Joe Ogilvie and J.B. Holmes, and Ogilvie walked off the fifth green after making his third straight birdie to give himself a chance at making in the cut. After a bogey on the final hole, he was pretty hot.

“I can’t be too disappointed,” Kim said. Ogilvie ran off four birdies in five holes to reach 2 over, but he missed an 8-foot par putt. That meant 83 players made the cut at 3 over, allowing players like Davis Love III, Sean O’Hair and Ogilvie at least one more day.

DIVOTS: Notah Begay, Woods’ teammate at Stanford, followed his 67 with a 77 to miss the cut. Also missing the cut were Masters champion Trevor Immelman and Brandt Snedeker, who played in the final pairing at Augusta National. Overton made three of his five birdies after driving into the rough.