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GolfTalkCentral

Wi 'balloons' on Day 2; leads by three

By Jason Sobel
Feb 10, 2012 8:48 PM ET

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Most professional golfers wouldn’t be very pleased with seeing their score balloon eight strokes from the previous round. Then again, most guys didn’t shoot 61 on the opening day.

Such was the case for Charlie Wi, who was two shots from the game’s magic number in his first round at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, then posted a 3-under 69 during his second round at Pebble Beach.

“For me to shoot 3‑under today, I was very pleased,” said Wi, who carded an eagle, five birdies and four bogeys. “I took an approach today saying this is just a new day, and whatever happened yesterday I was going to put it behind me and just start fresh.”

Those two rounds have Wi out in front at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am entering the weekend, three shots clear of two-time former champion Dustin Johnson. Now in his seventh full season on the PGA Tour, Wi is still searching for his first career victory, but maintains that he’s comfortable in his current position.

“I'm doing something good to be here for that long,” he said. “I enjoy leading. I remember last year at Colonial when I went head‑to‑head with David Toms and that's why we work so hard. This is the reason why we play so hard – to put yourself in this position.”

Next up for Wi is Spyglass Hill, the most difficult of the three-course rotation. It’s tough to believe that even a mediocre round won’t have him in contention going into the final day.

If and when he gets there, don’t expect Wi to veer from his current strategy.

“Technically and physically, we can't do anything about the other players,” he said. “So I know that when I start watching the scoreboard I get really anxious, so I try not to look at the scoreboard. I just try to play my game.”