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 Playing together in a high-profile grouping with U.S. Open
champion Justin Rose at Riviera Country Club, medium-length hitter
Furyk and 'Master Blaster' Johnson both posted six-under totals of
136 after the second round.
PGA Tour veteran Furyk, long known for his accuracy and an
unorthodox, loopy swing, fired a second successive three-under-par
68 while Johnson, who regularly powers drives more than 300 yards,
carded a 70.
Followed by some of the biggest galleries of the week on another
gorgeous day of dazzling sunshine at Riviera, the two Americans may
have looked like an 'odd couple' in golfing terms but Furyk was
completely unfazed.
"I passed that stage 18 years ago," a smiling Furyk told reporters
when asked if he played any differently when paired with a 'big
bomber' at a tournament.
"My game is more about accuracy and trying to keep it in play. There
are other things that I'm very good at and I have to capitalize on
those and worry more about my strengths than I do my weaknesses.
"I went to college as a kind of very long player and somewhat wild,
and kind of came out of college a lot straighter but much shorter.
That's the way I ended up playing my best golf."
RICH REWARD
Furyk's recipe has certainly reaped rich reward as the 43-year-old
has so far piled up 16 wins during a stellar PGA Tour career. Yet he
fully appreciates the attraction of power hitters like Johnson when
it comes to the fans.
"He has an exciting game, and it's fun to watch," said Furyk. "I
enjoy playing with Dustin and he's got a lot of talent.
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"It's fun watching guys hit it 30 and 40 yards by (you) but far as
affecting my game, I realize that's not my style. I just go out
there and play the way I know best and again, try to take advantage
of the things that I'm very good at."
Furyk, who has not triumphed on the PGA Tour since his astonishing
2010 campaign when he won three times to end the season with
FedExCup honors, is delighted with his progress so far this week.
"Any time you shoot three-under here, you're happy about it," he
said after a round that included five birdies and two bogeys. "I
played real solid, kept the ball in front of me all day.
"Made a couple bogeys, made some mistakes here and there where I
could have got the ball up and down but made some nice putts and a
couple saves, some good solid birdie putts.
"I feel comfortable with the way I'm striking the ball and I was
real pleased with the putter and the way I rolled it the first two
days."
Furyk, like Johnson, will go into Saturday's third round three shots
behind the pacesetting Bae Sang-moon of South Korea.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; editing by Ian Ransom)
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