By Bob West

The News golf writer

What a difference a day made for Port Neches-Groves exes Chris Stroud and Andrew Landry in the Sony Open.

After opening with solid, under-par performances on Thursday, the Port Neches-Groves duo stumbled so badly they missed the 36-hole cut at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu.

Stroud, who was tied for 20th after his opening, three-under-par 67, shot 40 on the front nine Friday, struggled in with a 74 and his total of 141 missed the cut by two shots. Landry, followed a Thursday 68 that had him tied for 45th, with a 75 for 143.

Both players started poorly and never recovered.

Stroud, who hit only 5 of 14 fairways, opened with back-to-back bogeys, went back-to-back again on 5 and 6, then doubled the 7th to stand 6 over at that point. He birdied 9 to turn in 40, then shot an incoming 34 with the help of birdies at 11 and 17.

Most telling stats for Stroud were ranking 138th in the field in scrambling and 77th in driving accuracy. For the week, he made nine bogeys and a double bogey while rolling in 10 birdies.

Landry was three-over after the first four holes Friday, following a double at 3 and a bogey at 4, turned in 38, then took four bogeys in a six-hole stretch the back. He needed a birdie at the 18th hole to shoot 75. The telling stats for Landry were ranking 134th in scrambling, 82nd in putts per greens in regulation and 102nd in strokes gained putting.

Brian Harmon, after backing up a Thursday 64 with a 63, was the 36-holeleader at 127.