By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Jack Nicklaus hits out of the bunker on the first hole during the second round at the Memorial Tournament Friday. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

DUBLIN, Ohio - John Daly, who at 68-73 (141), is eight strokes behind leader Kenny Perry, made it two in a row Friday.

He now has hit his drive past the pin twice on the 363-yard 14th hole.

"It's the golf ball," said tournament founder and Muirfield Village Golf Club designer Jack Nicklaus. "All of the balls do that. It's ridiculous."

How ridiculous?

"Absolutely ridiculous," Nicklaus said. "I know John can hit it. More power to John. Take advantage of what you got. And if you don't, you're crazy."

Nicklaus watched Daly drive the ball totally past the bunkers on No. 18 two years ago. And No. 18 is a terrific finishing hole. The bunkers weren't even in play for Daly.

"How many drove it over (Thursday)?" an exasperated Nicklaus asked. "A half dozen. That was without wind. (Friday), up to a dozen guys drove it over the bunkers at 18. How do you make a golf course defend that?"

Nicklaus said the modern golf ball "takes all the strategy out of play . . . I don't think that's right for the game of golf."

Golf course designers can't keep up.

"It's discouraging to do golf courses all over the world like I do and have them obsolete the week after you open," Nicklaus said.

Jack (76-72, 148) didn't make the 146 cut, but his son, Gary (69-75, 144), did.

CHIP SHOTS: Tiger Woods extended his consecutive cut streak to 103, putting him only two behind Nicklaus' 105 and 10 away from tying Byron Nelson's all-time tour record of 113. . . .

Kenny Perry was one of only four players without a bogey Friday. The others were Spike McRoy, Tim Herron and Jose Maria Olazabal. . . .

David Duval (73-72, 145) finally made a cut; he had missed the last seven. . . . Defending champion Jim Furyk (68-70, 138) leads the field with only 48 putts through the first two rounds.