Baird up by one at Zurich

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Mar 29, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:22 a.m.

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AVONDALE — For someone who’s played in 254 PGA Tour events in his career, Briny Baird was in an unusual position early Friday afternoon.

Starting bright and early and finishing before half the 144-man field even started their second rounds in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Baird posted a 3-under 69 — giving him a two-day score of 8-under 136.

That eventually held up over the next seven hours and gave Baird, a 35-year-old journeyman who has never won on Tour, the lead at the halfway point of the $6.2 million event on a sun-soaked TPC Louisiana layout.

Baird has held the 36-hole lead or a share of the lead exactly four times in his career. The most recent time was in Las Vegas in 2005, where he went on to finish in a tie for eighth.

Baird shot a 3-under 69 after opening the tournament with a 5-under 67 on Thursday, a round that was punctuated by an eagle-2 at the difficult par-4 sixth hole. Baird capped Friday’s round with a birdie-birdie finish.

“On the scorecard, it’s probably going to look like a solid round of golf,” Baird said. “But it didn’t feel quite as good as probably the scorecard will make it out. I didn’t play as well today.”

While his play on Friday wasn’t spectacular, it was enough to give him a one-shot lead over Peter Lonard (67-70) and Jay Williamson (68-69). Three more players were another swing back at 6-under 138 — including defending champion Nick Watney (71-67), Tommy Armour III (70-68) and Shigeki Maruyama (70-68).

Eighty-one players made the cut at even-par 144 and they’ll continue the chase at 7:20 a.m. today with NBC providing coverage from 2 to 5 p.m. Baird and Lonard will be in the final pairing at 1 p.m.

“My swing felt a little loose,” said Baird, who tied for fourth at the Puerto Rico Open last week. “To get in with a 3-under, I was very, very pleased. It didn’t feel like a 3-under round. But it’s better than sitting here saying I shot eve and should have been 6-under. You can always find something to gripe about.”

While the wind wasn’t nearly as strong Friday as it was Thursday, the course played only slightly easier in the second round as the greens continued to dry out and firm up. The field averaged 72.15 strokes after they averaged 72.34 strokes on Thursday.

“It’s a tough golf course,” Baird said. “I mean, I think I said (Thursday) even if the wind doesn’t blow it’s a tough course.”

Williamson knew what Baird was talking about. He came in late Friday afternoon with a 69 after getting around the course with four birdies and one bogey in a 10 mph breeze.

“Thank God the wind didn’t blow any harder or that golf course would have been very difficult,” said Williamson. “The greens got really firm, especially this afternoon.