Golf roundup: MacKenzie shoots 64; Wie closer to Q-school

MADISON, Miss. — Whoa, dude, Will MacKenzie had a killer round at the Viking Classic on Friday. Problem is he can't remember much of it.

A guy like MacKenzie — a kayaker, heliboarder and surfer — lives in the moment. And his 8-under 64 was so last hour when he met with reporters, even if it did boost him into a four-way tie at 10 under, a stroke behind leader Marc Turnesa.

"I'm trying to think," he said when asked about his birdies on Nos. 1 and 3. "Those were close."

Wasn't the birdie putt on No. 3 from 28 feet?

"Oh, yeah."

How about the birdie on No. 5?

"I don't remember 5," he said. "I have to sit here and really think about it."

MacKenzie may have to take someone else's word for it, but the guy who used to sleep in his van for five years while pursuing the next big thrill has found a home on the PGA Tour. His dazed and confused moments off the course at the Annandale Golf Club on Friday belied a razor-sharp morning round on it. He made eight birdie putts after his opening-round 70 and hasn't had a bogey yet.

Chalk it up to his putting. He has made all 15 putts from within 10 feet in the first two rounds and is back to using the claw grip, for the most part.

"I won my only tournament with a claw, but I actually switched back for some reason," said MacKenzie, the 2006 Reno-Tahoe Open winner. "That's the way I am."

Most the leaders Friday — Turnesa was a stroke ahead of MacKenzie, Paul Stankowski, Brian Gay and Dicky Pride — used their putters to their advantage. Turnesa took the opening-round lead Thursday with 12 one-putts and 22 total. He shook off a slow start Friday with a 55-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 fourth and saved his lead with an 8-foot putt for par on his final hole that was no gimme.

The PGA Tour rookie has held the second-day lead once before, but fell out of contention at the St. Jude Championship this year with rounds of 70 and 77 to tie for 37th.

"Just the fact that I have been here before makes me a little more confident," Turnesa said after his second-round 68. "Hopefully I can finish off a little stronger than I did at St. Jude."

Stankowski also had a great day with his putter and is gaining confidence after holing a 31-footer on the par-4 ninth and eight other birdies for a 7-under 65. Feeling good about his putting is a new emotion.