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BETHESDA, Md. -- Steve Stricker celebrated the Fourth of July with a round of 64 and an invitation to the White House.
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Stricker moved into contention at the AT&T National with a flourish Friday. Starting on the back nine, he holed a bunker shot for a birdie at No. 10, then sank putts from 48 and 58 feet for birdies at Nos. 11 and 2. His round included seven birdies and a bogey, moving him from 1 over to 5 under for the tournament.
"I made a couple of bombs, which you have to do to have a round like this," said Stricker, who finished second to K.J. Choi here last year. "I really enjoy this course. It gives you that major-type atmosphere. There's a lot of history here."
Stricker then headed to the showers to prepare for another big event: his first visit inside 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. He was among a group of 14 players invited by President Bush for dinner and fireworks in a twofold celebration. Not only was America having a birthday, but the president's birthday is Sunday.
"I had to look it up online," Stricker said. "I wasn't sure if we were celebrating the Fourth or his birthday. I guess it's both."
Stricker said he didn't know how he ended up on the guest list -- here's a hint, Steve: You're the highest rated golfer in the world rankings at the tournament -- and he considered flying his family from Wisconsin so they could join him for the special evening. He learned of the invitation when he received a call from the White House itself.
"It was kind of a weird call," Stricker said. "And then you give them all your vital information. It's pretty interesting. Background check."
The Presidential 14
The full list of players invited to the White House: Fred Funk, Davis Love III, Billy Andrade, Jonathan Byrd, Fred Couples, Rocco Mediate, Lucas Glover, Ben Crane, Jim Furyk, Johnson Wagner, Mike Weir, Brandt Snedeker, Corey Pavin and Stricker.
Pernice criticizes Tour
When it comes to club grooves and Tiger-less tournaments, Tom Pernice Jr. thinks the PGA Tour is lax on the job.
Pernice, a former member of the tour's policy board, criticized commissioner Tim Finchem on Friday for not doing more to resolve two contentious issues: U-shaped grooves that produced extra spin coming out of the rough, and the tournaments that have essentially become second-tier because they are rarely -- if ever -- visited by Tiger Woods or any of the other top players.
"I think there's several things that commissioner Finchem has done a great job on, and I think there's been several things that he's very weak on," Pernice said after matching the course record with a 63.
The U.S. Golf Association and Royal & Ancient Golf Club last year proposed limiting the amount of spin produced by U-shaped grooves. U-shaped grooves have allowed some golfers to drive tee shots into the rough with virtual impunity, knowing that the extra spin will keep the approach shot on the green.
But the new rule has yet to be implemented, and Pernice thinks it's time for the tour to act.
"Why isn't the PGA Tour and Tim Finchem stepping to the plate and using our own rules?" Pernice said. "Tim's been against it all the time. We should have our own rules, and this way we could use V-grooves and everybody can have the same set, and driving the ball in the fairway might make a difference."
Pernice also said the tour should require Woods and other top players to play more events.
"There are some things that the tour could do to help the sponsors," Pernice said. "I think there's got to be something. Michael Jordan didn't get to skip and not go play in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks when the Knicks were good and he didn't like playing there or whatever."
Football fever
As promised, local favorite Steve Marino had another boisterous following as he tried to build on his first-round lead. The Virginia native's beer-wielding high school friends were impossible to miss as they yelled golf cheers -- such as "Dropping bombs, baby!" -- with football-fan intensity.
"They got to get a little bit extra sleep last night," Marino said. "I still think it's probably going to be mild today compared to what it's going to be tomorrow, and especially Sunday if I continue to play well."
Marino's followers were nonpartisan, cheering loudly for playing partners John Merrick and Notah Begay III. Merrick gave them the biggest thrills, making eagle on the 18th with a pitching wedge before moving to the front nine, where he went 5 under on his final five holes -- a birdie-birdie-par-birdie-eagle finish -- to shoot a 64.
Merrick didn't mind Marino's revelers at all.
"We had a good time out there. It was fun. It's always nice to have guys in the crowd rooting you on," Merrick said. "It's cool to see guys who are excited to be out here."
Marino shot an even-par 70, leaving Merrick and Marino tied at 5 under headed into the weekend.
He did what?
Greg Kraft had no chance of making the cut at 7 over when play was halted by a late afternoon thunderstorm. He had a 25-foot par putt on No. 7, so he had his caddie carry four clubs when the round resumed -- driver, 4-iron, sand wedge and putter.
The eighth hole is a driver-sand wedge. The ninth is typically driver, 4-iron and sand wedge.
Except that Kraft didn't anticipate driving into the bunker on the par-5 ninth, and catching the lip with his 4-iron. The ball went into the right rough, and he muscled a 4-iron out of the thick grass. But he could only get within 132 yards of the green, too far for the wedge.
Aiming 60 yards left of the green, he hit a high, soft cut with his 4-iron to 8 feet.
"Best shot I've ever seen," said Fred Funk, who was in the same spot and hit a 9-iron to 15 feet. Better yet, Kraft made the par putt.
"The putt was more pressure than the 4-iron," Kraft said. "You have to make that."
The family way
"My mom, she won the nine-hole city tournament back when I was in her stomach," Overton said after his second-round 65 moved him in contention.
He then added: "I think I was in her stomach. We haven't quite been able to do the math on it. I think she shot 50."
Shot of the day
Pavin had the first hole-in-one of the tournament, an ace at the 215-yard 10th.
Pavin's shot with his hybrid 3-iron took two big hops and rolled straight into the hole. It was the second hole-in-one in the AT&T National's brief history. Kevin Stadler aced the 13th in the third round of last year's inaugural tournament.
