Time off helps Wilson take lead

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Mar 28, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:30 a.m.

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AVONDALE — After missing five cuts in eight tournaments and shooting in the 60s just five times in 25 competitive rounds on the PGA Tour this season, Dean Wilson surprised even himself Thursday.

Wilson fired a 6-under 66 in the opening round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in windy conditions at TPC Louisiana, which gave him a one-shot lead going into today’s second round of the $6.2 million tournament.

When asked if he had made any technical changes or modifications to his game to produce the results, the 38-year-old Wilson said there was one.

“Just a little lobotomy,” he said with a laugh, “which is what I needed.”

Actually, he said, the key was taking a couple of weeks off from the Tour after he played seven straight tournaments and eight events in a nine-week stretch earlier in the year.

What was surprising was the cure-all for his scoring problems: more golf.

“I’ve struggled a little bit, so I just went home (to Las Vegas) and tried to clear my brain and just play golf rather than sit on the range and fiddle with my swing,” Wilson said. “I think that helped. I just tried to play a lot of golf the last couple of weeks.”

Clearing his mind helped as Wilson posted seven birdies and just one bogey Thursday. He knocked in four birdies during the final six holes to put together a 4-under 32 on the back nine. And Wilson did it with flair, draining birdies in excess of 20 feet on Nos. 16 and 17 — the second giving him the lead.

The tournament resumes at 7:15 a.m. today with Wilson holding a slim one-shot edge over Briny Baird, Peter Lonard and Chez Reavie—who had 67s hursday. Another swing back at 68 were Vaughn Taylor, Jay Williamson, Cameron Beckman and Steve Elkington.

Portions of today’s second round will be televised by The Golf Channel from 2 to 5 p.m.

Wilson said he could tell his patience was getting low and he was starting to become frustrated after his grinding seven-week stretch on Tour. Apparently, he needed a dose of confidence as well.

“I just decided to go and play, so I would find my buddies and just try to play every day and have little games,” he said. “I think that cleared my mind a little bit from all the swing thoughts that always dance around in my head.”

Wilson got off to a good start with a birdie at the par-4, 406-yard first hole, which helped him sleep on the lead for only the third time on the PGA Tour.