KAPALUA, Maui » Parker McLachlin's mood improved dramatically yesterday, even if his position on the leaderboard did not after a 4-under 69 in the second round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship.

Hitting all 18 greens in regulation, the only thing that tempered the Punahou School alum's outlook was he managed only four one-putts while trying to adjust to the Plantation Course's greens.

“;That was a lot better, yeah,”; McLachlin said in reference to his opening round of 77. “;I didn't feel like I was hitting in quite as much of a fog as I was yesterday. I think just having one competitive round under my belt definitely helped me be a little bit sharper today.

“;I hit the ball real well, but I didn't make a lot of putts. I think I had four one-putts and those were my four birdies. These greens, I'm getting really close to making a lot of putts. I've been lipping out quite a bit. I think if I can get a couple of putts to start dropping and start getting that confidence going. I've been hitting the hole a lot, but they just haven't been going in. I'm close. Today's 4 under could have been 8 or 9 in a heartbeat.”;

McLachlin began the day alone in 29th in the elite 33-man field, before finishing in a tie for 24th at even-par 146. He has been battling flu-like symptoms for a couple of days, but yesterday's weather was perfect. There was no rain and the wind was indifferent for most of the round.

“;I gave myself tons of opportunities,”; McLachlin said. “;Pretty good opportunities, not 40-footers. I think I had 12 or 13 inside 20 feet. I haven't taken advantage on the greens with my local knowledge. Sometimes you psyche yourself out thinking about it too much. We're just going to read it for what it is and just go with it. I think it helps when you're a little bit more in contention than not playing for last.”;

Boo goes bad at end

A bad back nine trying to read the tricky greens at the Plantation Course left Boo Weekley so frustrated that by the time he got to the par-5 18th he'd had enough.

Only 92 feet from the pin after his second shot at the 665-yard hole, Weekley chipped his eagle try to within 13 feet of the hole and then proceeded to four-putt from there to drop from fourth into a tie for 11th in only a matter of seconds.

Weekley lipped out a 9-inch putt for par along the way and then lipped out his bogey try from 15 inches before knocking in a 7-inch try for double bogey. As bad as that was, he still talked about his round and what led up to that moment.

“;It was a good day,”; Weekley said of his 3-under 70 that left him 6 under for the tournament. “;I just got aggravated. I just misread the last four or five putts coming in (on the back nine). I just had enough of it.

“;We are here to enjoy golf and what's going on, and at the same time maybe win. But if you don't, it's all good. It's just getting ready for the regular season. When I hit that putt on the front of the green, I misread it totally. We should be pros and I should be better at this by now. I just got aggravated.”;

Sony Open field set

Once again, a majority of the players who teed it up this week at the Mercedes-Benz Championship will make the trip over to Oahu for the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Only seven are not playing in the first full-field event on the PGA Tour, but there are several notable golfers on that list. They are Vijay Singh, who plans to undergo surgery to repair a torn knee ligament, defending Masters champion Trevor Immelman, Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas, Ryan Palmer and Justin Leonard.

Leonard and Kim have ties to the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic that begins the week after the Sony and Palmer is coming off shoulder surgery that is still bothering him. Some of the big names in the Sony Open field who are not playing this week are past champions Paul Azinger, Jeff Sluman, Brad Faxon, Jerry Kelly, David Toms and Paul Goydos.

Local boys McLachlin and Dean Wilson are also teeing it up at Waialae Country Club as well as American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin, Luke Donald, Bubba Watson, Steve Stricker, Rory Sabbatini, Tim Clark and Chris DiMarco.