April 23, 2010 (UPDATE 4/24)–It's a round which could have taken place at Las Vegas golf course TPC Las Vegas, but as it so happens, was during the second round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Former UNLV All-American Chris Riley and current Las Vegas resident Alex Cejka were paired together in the 7 AM tee time, and shot 66 and 67 respectively, good for a share of the lead for Cejka while Riley jumped 78 spots and into a tie for 9th heading into the weekend. UPDATE: Play was suspended in third round.–By Brian Hurlburt.
Cejka still plays and practices a lot at TPC Las Vegas, a Las Vegas resort course which is owned by the PGA Tour. Riley and his family spend most of their time in his native San Diego, but he still is sometimes spotted at either TPC Las Vegas or the private TPC Summerlin, playing and practicing. TPC Las Vegas is a past host course to events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, but is still regarded as the home to pro golf in Las Vegas because many tour players play and practice at the course when not on tour. Some of those include Charley Hoffman, Bill Lunde, Rickie Fowler, Dean Wilson, Bob May, and many more. Click now to view the official website for TPC Las Vegas, where you can reserve your Las Vegas golf tee times for this course.
Riley and Cejka were also paired with Lee Janzen who fired a 66 and is tied with Cejka and Brian Davis for the second-round lead. The three played so well together that they all came into the media room together for questioning. "Like Lee said, on the front nine there was no wind so it was pretty easy out there actually with fresh greens," Riley told the media. "We all just played and had a good time. We all played well. At least I had a good time. I don't know if these guys did.
But it was really definitely a 5:00 o'clock wake-up call. You don't feel like playing golf that early, but we had a good day."
Cejka didn't mind the early tee time, and was pleased with the grouping and how everybody rallied. "It was quite early, but I like the early tee times," said Cejka. "I think we had a really two good days. We played well all two days. Especially today we made a lot of putts, and it's nice when you see the balls going in the hole." Cejka has had a home in Las Vegas for several years following a move from Laughlin, Nevada. Cejka is originally from the Czech Republic.
Janzen said he made a putt on the first hole and it seemed to open things from there on out. He also addressed his putting, and how he's had some challenges recently. "Some guys have no problem lining their body up square to the line, but I just haven't figured it out," said Janzen. "I wish I could. To be able to walk up to every shot and lineup perfectly. Sometimes my feet and my body just get misaligned. I have to manipulate my stroke rather than just let my shoulders do all the work. So that's where I get off a little bit. And it involves weight position too. My weight got back in my stance. So I just tried to change how I stepped into the ball this week to make sure I got my weight on my left side. Not worried so much about where my feet are lying, as long as my weight's on my left so I can catch the ball at the proper part of my arc and my stroke."