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AVONDALE, La. -- Briny Baird shot a 3-under 69 in the second round to take a one-stroke lead over Peter Lonard and Jay Williamson halfway through the Zurich Classic on Friday.
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"It didn't feel quite as good as probably the scorecard will make out," Baird said. "I didn't play as well today. My swing felt a little loose at times, but to get in with a 3 under, I was very pleased."
Baird birdied the final two holes. Good enough to keep him on the golf course this weekend rather than in a boat. He planned to go fishing but bad weather kept him off the water.
"I screwed that up," Baird joked.
Bubba Watson, playing alongside Steve Elkington and Shigeki Maruyama, blamed Elkington for making noise while he was teeing off. The incident happened on the 10th tee and the trio left the course after the round without shaking hands.
"I heard some movement, and who knows what it was," Watson said. "I was just over the ball, and just trying to make the cut and trying to play better and not getting the right breaks. I was already mad for the day, and I just took it out on them, and I shouldn't have."
Tournament director Arvin Ginn said the incident was resolved quickly at the scoring area.
"In the heat of the battle these players, they're very high-keyed at this point in time, and nobody can say it any better than Bubba said it a little while ago," Ginn said. "He gave a total apology to the media, total apology to the tournament, to the players, to anyone that might have seen or heard any part of it."
Watson said he felt he and Elkington settled the matter.
"We hugged it out," Watson said. "Everything is good. He's not mad. He's looking at me like a son basically because I'm a lot younger than him. He just took me aside and said, 'Be stronger in what you're doing and make sure you don't do that."'
Watson shot a 69 to finish at 2-under 142. Elkington (71) was in a group of players tied for sixth at 5 under.
Baird is making his 254th career start on the tour without a victory. His best finishes were a tie for second at the 2001 John Deere Classic, and ties for second at the 2003 Buick Open and 2004 Funai Classic.
Baird has made the cut in seven of nine tournaments this year. He hopes that has taught him how to handle weekend play.
