Flying solo can't help Merrick make cut

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By Ryan O'Halloran

Strolling down the 15th fairway Friday, John Merrick had a slice of Congressional Country Club all to himself.

It was Merrick, caddie John Rathouz, a scorer, a standard-bearer and nobody else.

Gone was Bubba Watson because of allergies.

Absent was Jeff Overton because of injury.

The withdrawals left Merrick with the rare opportunity of playing alone for the final nine holes of his second round at the AT&T National.

It isn't uncommon for a player to compete by himself during the weekend if the cut produces an odd number of players; the tournament usually assigns a club member to fill that spot. But losing both playing partners on a Thursday or Friday is rare. It was a first for Merrick, a 27-year-old Californian who entered the week with more than $1.2 million in earnings this year.

"It was a little harder to get into rhythm, but it really wasn't that different," he said.

Said Rathouz: "It was just not normal."

An opening-round 76 hurt Merrick's hopes of making a 15th cut in 19 starts this year. He carded an even-par 70 on Friday, but his two-day score of 146 fell four shots short of the cut line.

Watson called it a weekend after shooting 40 on the opening nine Thursday. Overton, a co-leader after 36 holes at last year's AT&T National, shot 69 in the first round, but a wrist injury contributed to a 4-over 39 on Friday before he withdrew at the turn.