Just in Time, Hamilton Finds Shot

Among the most improbable winners of a major championship, Todd Hamilton entered this week's AT&T National buoyed by a resurgence in his game. The shot-making that facilitated a British Open victory in 2004 has reappeared in spots, and his mental poise is swelling more these days.

That confluence helped Hamilton card a 3-under-par 67 in the second round at Congressional Country Club, where he is polishing his iron play two weeks before the season's third major championship. Hamilton is six shots off the lead entering the weekend.

"I played very well. I hit a lot of good shots, gave myself a lot of opportunities by driving it in a lot of fairways," Hamilton said. "I made two bogeys, but the two bogeys I made, I actually hit pretty good shots in there."

Hamilton's round included three consecutive birdies on the front nine after a bogey at No. 2, where Hamilton had his only three-putt of the tournament.

But he righted himself with a birdie at No. 5 to get back to par before crafting one of the signature shots of the second day. At No. 6, a 494-yard par 4, Hamilton drove his tee shot into the primary rough along the left side. He used an iron to get back onto the fairway, and his ball settled about 100 yards from the pin.

From there, Hamilton's wedge shot found the bottom of the cup, and after a birdie at No. 7, he was 2 under making the turn. Hamilton made birdie at No. 10, bogey at 12 and birdie at the par-5 16th to close his round.

"The birdies you get out here, for me anyway, you've really got to work for them because I don't get any two-putt birdies," said Hamilton, who is not a particularly long hitter.

Golf has been a grind for Hamilton since his unlikely triumph at Royal Troon, where he beat Ernie Els in a four-hole playoff. The following year, Hamilton missed 14 cuts in 31 events, and his highest finish was tied for 13th at the John Deere Classic. In 2006, he missed 19 cuts in 27 events, and last season he missed 19 of 28. His best finish in 2007 was tied for 37th at the Reno-Tahoe Open.

Determined to get back to his 2004 form that generated two victories, three top 10s and more than $3 million in earnings, Hamilton had a promising start this season. He finished tied for 25th at the FBR Open in early February and tied for 33rd at the Zurich Classic in late March.

Consecutive ties for 36th place at the U.S. Open and Buick Open the past two weeks carried Hamilton into the AT&T National. This season, he also claimed $276,497 in prize money, which is more than his combined earnings for 2006 and 2007.

Hamilton's improved game comes at an ideal time. He said he will play next week at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill., about an hour from his home town, and then fly to England for the British Open at Royal Birkdale.

"When you do get that first one, whether it's a regular event like this tournament here or a major event, if you do happen to win one, it definitely boosts your confidence," Hamilton said. "You get good thoughts going back to certain places. I've never played this course for the Open, but going to the Open championship, I'll have good thoughts leading into the tournament knowing that, 'Hey man, I've won this tournament before.' "