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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Duffy Waldorf is hoping this early lead will culminate with a Sunday night celebration. Waldorf shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Jeff Sluman after the soggy, weather-delayed second round of the Regions Tradition, the second of five Champions Tour majors. Waldorf had three birdies and a bogey on both the first nine holes and the last nine to top the Shoal Creek leaderboard at 9-under 135. The Champions Tour rookie led after two rounds last week in Iowa in the Principal Charity Classic, but closed with a 1-under 71 to tie for third. Waldorf also led shared the first-round lead with Jay Haas two weeks ago at the Senior PGA Championship, but is hoping to finish in the top position this time. "My friend was telling me, I dont really care if youre leading after the first or second round or even the third. Just lead after the fourth," he said. "Its not NASCAR, so I dont get extra points for how many laps I lead. But youve got to be near the top to have a chance and Im really happy to be near the top." Sluman, the first-round leader, had a 71. Fred Couples, Mark Calcavecchia, Michael Allen and Canadian Rod Spittle were three strokes back. Couples had a 71, Calcavecchia and Allen shot 69, and Spittle had a 66. Two-time defending champion Tom Lehman was 4 under after a 71. He made a double bogey on 17 and a bogey on 18 in fading light. A four-time PGA Tour winner, Waldorfs only lead at the mid-point of a major came in the 2002 British Open. Waldorf, who was on No. 3 when play was halted Friday, tied for 18th that time. Waldorf followed a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 5 with an 18-footer on the next hole. His highlight might have been the 30-plus footer on No. 12. The Champions Tour major at Shoal Creek was delayed 3 hours, 13 minutes with lightning in the area, and there was a steady rain for much of that time. The players finished late in the evening with darkness approaching at 8:01 p.m. "I thought it would be a longer delay," Waldorf said. "It really poured there for a while. We were looking outside and we were going, My gosh, its going to take hours for the course to drain. But we got back out pretty quick." Sluman had an eagle on the par-5 third hole, two birdies and three bogeys after matching his best opening round score on the Champions Tour with a 65. Given the conditions and his spot near the top of the leaderboard, Sluman wasnt fretting too much about a more mundane follow-up round to his opening score. "I feel all right where Im at," said Sluman, who won the Legends of Golf with Brad Faxon in April. "Its the best I can do. I signed my card correctly, I hope, at the end of the day. And I didnt shoot myself out of it, certainly. Its days like this that win you the tournaments as much as shooting a really low score. "When youre just struggling a little bit, youre in between clubs, youre not making anything really happening and you dont go out and shoot 75 or 76, so Im happy with that." Couples managed all three of his birdies on the final eight holes but had two bogeys. He had near-misses on a couple of makeable birdie putts early. "I hit way too many balls," Couples said. "I came out and practiced a little longer, and then we went out and hung out in the van and left the grounds to have lunch. Im tired now, but I felt pretty good out there. I just couldnt hit the ball close enough, and when I did, I had some pretty good putts and I felt like I putted well but nothing went in." Spittle, who is conditionally exempt this year, had five birdies and a bogey during a seven-hole stretch on the back nine. He won the 2010 AT&T Championship. Brad Bryant, who has been bothered by foot problems, withdrew after the round ended. Patriots Jerseys China . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. New England Patriots Shirts . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. https://www.patriotsjerseysale.com/ . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. New England Patriots Pro Shop . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Fake Patriots Jerseys . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days.All that Andy Murray needs to try and do is not let Novak Djokovic widen the gap at the Paris Masters in order to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming world No 1, says Barry Cowan. Murray continued his march towards the top spot by winning the Erste Bank Open in Vienna on Sunday. Super Murray wins in Vienna Andy Murray beats Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win Erste Bank Open in Vienna The 29-year-old Scot swept past Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 7-6 (8-6) with an immaculate display in the final to earn his seventh title of the year. The Olympic and Wimbledon champion can take over the world No 1 ranking from Djokovic if he wins next weeks Paris Masters and the Serb fails to reach the final. Highlights of Andy Murray v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga from the Vienna Open final Djokovic has been handed a tough route to the title in Paris, where he will start in the second round against Spains Nicolas Almagro or in-form Gilles Muller of Luxembourg.The top ranking could come to a head when he faces a blockbuster semi-final clash against US Open champion Stan Wawrinka.Murrays route is also a tough one and includes a potential opening second round match against Fernando Verdasco before facing Roberto Bautista Agut, Tomas Berdych and then a mouth-watering semi-final date against Milos Raonic or Kei Nishikori. Djokovic is fresh, but Djokovic has not won big matches of late and so long as Andy can have a chance mathematically and its in his control going into London - I think hell do it. Barry Cowan on Andy Murrays chances of becoming World No 1 And Sky Sports tennis expert Cowan feels Murray can do it if the mathematics work in his favour.Realistically, this is going to be very tough for Andy next week going into Paris, Cowan said. The hardest will be the first couple of rounds in Paris, and if he can get through those and the closer to the weekend he gets then I think he will be feeling better in himself and then he starts to see the finishing line.Djokovic is fresh, but Djokovic has not won big matches of late and so long as Andy can have a chance mathematically and its in his control going into London - I think hell do it. Live ATP Masters Tennis October 31, 2016, 10:00am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Cowan also pointed to Murrays impressive big match temperament, where he has been forced to slug it out in order to win matches and was impressed with his ability during vital times against Tsonga.Murray was immense today, Cowan added. He was coming into the final in so much confidence, playing his best tennis in every big match. Murray and Djokovics rivalry at the top of the rankings will continue in Paris Andy was so clear in how he wantedd to play and I think thats why hes been able to play such great, great tennis when it really matters.ddddddddddddWhat was impressive from Andy was the way he was able to stem the Tsonga attack in the tie-break. But crucially in the tie-break Murray found the first serve again.Murray won an impressive 74 per cent of his second serve points in Sundays final and Cowan feels that is the most improved aspect of his game this year.Andys developed pace and variation - the ability to change it up. He used to always be consistent where he hit the serve - it was always in the same spot. Sometimes you need to vary it, go big to the backhand side, forehand, hit it with a little bit more spin, sometimes you have to go into the body. Hes started to do that a lot more and that comes from confidence. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract The rankings as they standDjokovic: 12,900 pointsMurray: 10,985French capital gains The Paris Masters is being shown live on Sky Sports The regular tour comes to an end with the final Masters event in Paris, starting on Monday, with Djokovic defending his title and 1,000 ranking points.He beat Murray in last years final, with the Scot earning 600 points.If Murray were to enjoy another impressive week in the French capital and lift the trophy next Sunday, he would gain an additional extra 400 points.Should Djokovic only reach the semi-finals, he would drop 640 points.How the points tot up if Murray wins in Paris and Djokovic reaches the semi-final:Djokovic: 12,260Murray: 11,385 Djokovic mentally ready for Paris Novak Djokovic insists he is mentally prepared for Paris Masters Djokovics big points drop Djokovic has won the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals four years in a row On Monday, November 7, Djokovic will lose the 1,300 points he amassed for winning the ATP World Tour Finals last November in London, ahead of the start of that tournament on the following Sunday.And that could be the trigger point for Murray to overtake him. Murray v Djokovic: The race is on Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic: Their previous meetings Murray, who has consistently struggled at the World Tour Finals, won only one match there last year so drops just 200 points.How it would stand after last seasons World Tour Finals points are taken off - if Murray wins in Paris and Djokovic reaches the semi-finals:Murray: 11,185Djokovic: 10,960Check our game-by-game updates from all of Andy Murrays matches at the ATP Paris Masters on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis, live on Sky Sports. Also See: Super Murray wins in Vienna How Murray beat Tsonga... Murray v Djokovic: The race is on Murrays magnificent year ' ' '