Late birdies lift Molder to lead

Published 5:00 am Saturday, April 3, 2010

HUMBLE, Texas — Getting to the Masters is secondary in Bryce Molder’s mind. He just wants that elusive first victory on the PGA Tour.

Molder birdied four of the last seven holes for a 6-under 66 and a one-stroke lead Friday in the final event before the Masters next week at Augusta National. Molder had a 9-under 135 total on Redstone’s Tournament Course.

The former Georgia Tech star is winless in 88 career PGA Tour starts and he’s never played in the Masters. Sure, he’s thought about punching his ticket this week, but that’s not as important to him as winning.

“Once you’re out there and over the ball, you’re not really thinking, ‘Well, maybe this is what could or could not get me in next week,’ ” Molder said. “If you ask me that Sunday afternoon and I’ve got a two-shot lead walking down the last hole, maybe so.

“But I haven’t won on the PGA Tour. When I win out here, first and foremost, it’s going to be exciting.”

Molder made short birdie putts on 12 and 13, then chipped in on the par-5 15th. He rolled in a 33-foot putt on 17 to take the outright lead.

Molder had a breakthrough season in 2009, with three top-10 finishes and more than $1 million in earnings for the first time. He has three more top 10s already this year, and his confidence grows a bit each time he plays himself in contention.

“The more recent it’s been, the more comfortable you are,” Molder said. “When you’re nervous, it’s a good thing. Dealing with playing and expectations and trying to get committed out there and all these kinds of things — you just have to be there to learn it and go through it. It’s a process.”

First-round co-leader Cameron Percy (69) and fellow PGA Tour rookie Alex Prugh (66) were tied for second, and Lee Westwood (68), Anthony Kim (69), Joe Ogilvie (67) and Kevin Stadler (70) were 7 under after another windy day.

Ernie Els, Fred Couples and Phil Mickelson made the cut, but were far off the pace. Els (74) and Couples (73) were even par, and Mickelson (76) was 1 over.

Els is trying to win his third straight start and the 50-year-old Couples is warming up for the Masters after three consecutive wins on the Champions Tour.