PAIR MAKES PURSUERS DESPAIR; COUPLES-DUVAL HAVE BOGEYLESS ROUND, BIG LEAD.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

How tough was it for the pack chasing Fred Couples and David Duval in Saturday's second round of the Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout?

Scott McCarron and Scott Hoch, the leaders of that pack, shot 9-under-par 63 and lost ground in this annual two-man team competition at Sherwood Country Club.

First-round leaders Couples and Duval, who entered Saturday's best-ball play five strokes clear of the field, stretched their margin to six strokes with a second consecutive brilliant outing.

``We played about the same,'' Couples said in summarizing the frustration for their pursuers.

This time, he and Duval combined for 10 birdies in a bogeyless round of 62, giving them 19 birdies and an eagle in 36 bogeyless holes and leaving them 21 under par at 123.

Peter Jacobsen/John Cook and Andrew Magee/Jay Haas are at 130, a stroke behind McCarron/Hoch. Brad Faxon/Jeff Sluman (131) and defending champions Greg Norman and Steve Elkington (133) are next closest in a tournament that seems headed for a runaway victory by Couples and Duval.

Their Saturday showing, which included five straight birdies on holes 9-13, left them two strokes off the pace Couples and Ray Floyd set through two rounds during their tournament-record 34-under-par finish of 182 in 1990.

Duval and Couples need just 13-under in today's score-friendly scramble format to tie that tournament record and could probably clinch a win with a 12-under finish. Only two of the past seven Shootout champions have failed to shoot at least 13-under in the final-day scramble format.

``What's second place worth?'' McCarron wanted to know after estimating he and Hoch - the closest to Couples/Duval - might need to birdie the course today just to tie the leaders.

``I'm not saying it's over,'' Hoch said. ``But our chances are very slim. It's pretty much over.''

That, after he and the long-hitting McCarron combined for 10 birdies in a round diminished only by a bogey on the 446-yard, par-4 18th hole.

``Maybe if they miss a wake-up call,'' Hoch mused. ``If we call and cancel both wake-up calls, we'd have an even better chance.''

Couples and Duval looked anything but sleepy after another blistering round keyed, again, by the accurate putting of Duval. He rolled in birdies of 12, 20, 12, 10, 8 and 14 feet and also had a 5-foot chip for birdie.

Had he ever played two better consecutive rounds at Sherwood?

``Probably not,'' said Duval, who tied a PGA Tour record with a final-round 59 in winning the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in January and had four 1999 wins by the second week of April.

``This is probably the best I've played since the U.S. Open,'' he said. ``I'm hitting the ball and certainly this is the best I've putted since June or July. . . . It makes you want to come out again.''

Couples is equally happy about Duval's play this week - especially around the green.

``If he putts for me next year, I'll be right where I want to be,'' said Couples.

Faxon/Sluman, Jacobsen/Cook, Magee/Haas and Carlos Franco/Olin Browne all shot 8-under-par 64 on Saturday. Franco and former Occidental College star Browne moved to 8 under par after starting the day at even-par.

Faxon/Sluman, Norman/Elkington, Jacobsen/Cook and Magee/Haas also gained eight strokes on par to share the third-best move of the day with Franco and Browne.

But the day and likely the tournament belonged to Team Relentless:

``I've had a ball,'' Couples said. ``I mean, what a pairing!''

LEADERBOARD 

Couples/Duval 61-62-123

Magee/Haas 66-63-129

Jacobsen/Cook 66-64-127

McCarron/Hoch 66-63-129

Faxon/Sluman 67-64-131

Norman/Elkington 69-64-133

Beck/Daly 71-65-136

Franco/Browne 72-64-136

Pavin/Pate 71-66-137

Waldorf/Day 70-69-139

Stadler/Kite 74-69-143

Crenshaw/Lietzke 75-70-145

TODAY'S STARTING TIMES

(Scramble format)

8:55 a.m.-Craig Stadler/Tom Kite; Ben Crenshaw/Bruce Lietzke

9:05 a.m.-Corey Pavin/Steve Pate; Duffy Waldorf/Glen Day

9:15 a.m.-Chip Beck/John Daly; Carlos Franco/Olin Browne

9:25 a.m.-Brad Faxon/Jeff Sluman; Greg Norman/Steve Elkington

9:35 a.m.-Peter Jacobsen/John Cook; Andrew Magee/Jay Haas

9:45 a.m.-Fred Couples/David Duval; Scott McCarron/Scott Hoch

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

PHOTO (1 -- color) Fred Couples, left, playfully punches David Duval after latter's birdie putt on the 12th green.

(2) Fred Couples, top, gets some help from David Duval in lining up a putt on the 16th green. The two have not suffered a bogey in two days, 36 holes.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

BOX: (1) Leaders (see text)

(2) Today's starting times (see text)