Holder Weekley feels right at home at Harbor Town
ATLANTA (Reuters) - Although happiest when hunting or fishing, Boo Weekley has relished the opportunity to defend his title at this week's Heritage Classic in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
The affable 34-year-old feels completely at home on the picturesque Harbor Town Golf Links and he charged into second place with a flawless, seven-under-par 64 in Friday's second round.
"I feel this golf course sets up for my game," Weekley told reporters after posting a nine-under total of 133 to lie one stroke behind Lucas Glover.
"I know exactly about how far I'm hitting it and I kind of control the ball. I can hit the ball kind of straight and I can work the ball either way.
"It's very similar to the golf course I grew up on, Tanglewood back home," added the Florida native who won last year's title with spectacular chip-ins to save par on the final two holes.
"Granted it's not as long as it is (here) and it's not quite as pretty as this, but (it's similar) as tightness goes off the tee and the greens are small. It's kind of the same putting."
WARM RECEPTION
A popular figure with the golfing media because of his entertaining, homespun views on life, Weekley has reveled in the warm reception accorded him by the fans this week.
"It's always fun to be able to look out on the crowd and see all the people pulling for you and chanting your name," he said. "I always have a place in my heart for this place.
"It's great to be able to come back here and say: 'Hey, I was defending champion at one time and might still be coming up, all depends on what happens.'
"I come into a new week and I try to start all over. You kind of go with what's in front of you now."
Weekley, aiming to become the first player to win successive titles at Hilton Head since Davis Love III in 1992, surged up the leaderboard with four birdies after the turn, three times holing putts from 10 feet or longer.
"The whole key for me is I pick a spot and if I can roll it over that spot, I feel like I've got a 100 percent chance of it going in," he said.
"All three of them I rolled it right over my spot, and that's when I started walking, whether it went in or not."
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
