Janzen, Mediate take Shootout lead

NAPLES, Fla., Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Rocco Mediate and Lee Janzen fired a 12-under-par 60 during best-ball play Saturday to open a three-shot lead over John Huston and Jeff Maggert after two rounds of the Franklin Templeton Shootout.

Mediate and Janzen recorded 12 birdies, including five in a row bridging the front and back nine, and overcame a one-shot deficit.

"We're in the lead because we both picked it up when the other wasn't there," Mediate said.

The teams will compete in a scramble format in Sunday's final round as they vie for the $500,000 first prize in this unofficial PGA Tour event.

"This is the best place to be, but we still have to play exceptional golf tomorrow," Janzen said.

Mediate and Janzen are trying for their first Shootout title. Janzen was a runner-up with Hale Irwin in 1996 and with Chip Beck the year before.

Huston and Maggert recorded a second straight 8-under 64.

This marks the third Shootout appearance for both Huston and Maggert, who have combined for eight titles in more than 600 PGA Tour appearances. The two played together at the 1994 Presidents Cup, losing to Vijay Singh and Steve Elkington.

Mark O'Meara and John Cook fired another 7-under 65 and were among three duos five shots off the pace.

O'Meara, who won the inaugural tournament with Curtis Strange in 1989 at the Sherwood Country Club, and Cook were tied with Matt Kuchar and David Gossett, who shot a 64, and Dudley Hart and Jeff Sluman, who carded a 62.

Steve Elkington and Peter Jacobsen and Mark Calcavecchia and Andrew Magee were another shot back with two-round totals of 131.

Two-time defending champions Scott McCarron and Brad Faxon were 10th in the 12-team field at 134.