Family values have Williamson in the hunt

By: TOM SHERIDAN - Staff Writer | Saturday, September 29, 2007 12:37 AM PDT ∞

TEMECULA -- The formula for Tyler Williamson this week has involved one part golf and one part family vacation. Business and pleasure have blended quite nicely.

In the second round of the California State Open at Redhawk Golf Course on Friday, Williamson fired the day's low round, a 5-under-par 67, leaving him at 8-under 136, a stroke behind first-round leader Nathan Smith.

Smith shot 2-under 70 to follow up his opening 65. Joining Williamson at 136 are Drew Scott, who had to come back early in the morning to finish up his first-round 66 after darkness suspended play Thursday, and defending champion Ji Hwan Park.

"Today I played well, I hit all but two greens," Williamson said. "My ball-striking has been good. I'm hitting it solid and pretty straight. Hitting to the right levels on these greens. Hit it in the right spots and take a run at the putt, if it goes in great, if it doesn't, tap it in."

After getting into the tournament just a week ago, Williamson, 35, showed up in Southwest County in a 38-foot motor home with his wife and three children in tow. This week, home base for the Williamsons, who traveled from Decatur, Ala., is the house of 2005 Cal State Open champion Eric Meichtry, who lives in Murrieta with his wife and two kids.

The two got to know each other playing on the Hooters Tour in the late '90s.

"When you get kids and wife and family, the family guys kind of gravitate toward each other," Williamson said. "They kind of know what each other are going through. Life is similar.

"The Hooters Tour for a lot of the younger guys can be kind of a traveling fraternity. It can be like three or four years of extended college. But for a lot of us, we really are trying to make a living. So we understand that. We're not out late. We've got to tuck the kids in bed and be ready for tomorrow."

Meichtry is seven strokes off the pace after bunching together five birdies in a round of 70 that puts him at 2-under 142. None of that mattered too much on Friday night though, as the two families got together with some of Meichtry's neighbors for a barbecue.

"Obviously right now, he found some good form," Meichtry said. "He's a good player, won on the Nationwide Tour. But with the focus not being on performing this week, it turns (golf) back into the game, instead of the grueling job it can become."

Another Murrieta resident, Joe Skovron, birdied three of the first six holes on his way to a 3-under 69 that puts him at 4-under 140.

Brendan Steele of Idyllwild struggled to a 76 in the first round. The product of Hemet High and UC Riverside managed to come back with a 3-under 69 on Friday that featured an eagle on the No. 11, to make the cut.

"Nothing was easy," Steele said. "I didn't hit the ball very well and didn't putt very well either day. So I've kind of got to get it together."

Et cetera

The cut line moved up as the day wore on and 62 players made the cut at 3-over 147. ... The first group will tee off at 7:30 a.m. today, and the leaders will go off at 10:21 a.m.