BETHESDA - If Congressional Country Club truly embodies the nickname Ernie Els gave it Tuesday, then "The Beast" is being tamed.
Seventy of the 156 golfers who descended upon the tradition-laden golf course here to take part in the $5 million Booz Allen Classic shot 1-under par or better to make the cut yesterday and advance to the third round.
Four-time PGA Tour winner Robert Allenby set the torrid pace with a 6-under 65 for a two-day total of 9-under 133. Four players - defending champion Adam Scott, first-round leader Matt Gogel, Steve Elkington and Lee Westwood - are two strokes back at 7-under 135.
Never before has the Blue Course, which is playing at par 71 and 7,232 yards, been this generous. When Congressional played host to what was then called the Kemper Open from 1980 to 1986, the lowest score for the cut was at 2-over-par 146 in 1986. The average over that seven-year period was 5-over.
The cut at the 1997 and 1964 U.S. Opens at Congressional was at 7-over 147 and 13-over 223 (after 54 holes), respectively. The cut at the 1976 PGA Championship was at 9-over 149, while the cut at the 1995 U.S. Senior Open was at 6-over 150.
"Yeah, it's hard to believe after having the U.S. Open here," said Allenby, who missed the cut at the Open in 1997 with a score of 10-over-par 150. "We're playing a totally different golf course today. The golf course is soft, the rough is probably only 3 inches thick, and the greens are really soft."
Added world No. 1 Vijay Singh: "Congressional is not really playing like Congressional."
Weather and technology have played a role in the lower scores. Thunderstorms touched off by humid conditions have soaked the greens, making them softer and more receptive. Wind, which would normally dry out the course, has been nonexistent.
Newer clubs and balls have taken a beating on the course, too. Whereas golfers who visited Congressional in the earlier years found themselves using driver-long iron to reach the greens, today's generation of golfers is going driver-wedge for scoring opportunities.
Allenby, for instance, had a second shot from less than 150 yards on seven of the course's 11 par-4s. On six of those par-4s, he attempted birdie putts of less than 10 feet.
Allenby's performance is somewhat surprising considering that the 33-year-old Australian has missed the cut in four of his past eight tournaments (seven times total this season) and finished in the top 15 just three times.
