Long Beach State grad John Mallinger is still in the hunt at The PGA Players Championship, as he slipped a spot from second to a six-way tie for third on Friday.  After a one-under performance on Friday, he’s at -7 so far, four strokes back of leader Alex Cejka, and three strokes under Tiger Woods, who is still getting all the headlines.

Unfortunately (or is it fortunately), Mallinger is very much sponsored by Taylor Made, so we can’t expect to see him in a Long Beach State hat as fellow former-49er Paul Goydos was at last year’s TPC.  Goydos (also sponsored by Taylor Made now) could use some of the old 49er luck this year—Paul didn’t make the Friday cut at par, as he was four over.  When asked by the NY Times if he’d be donning a Dirtbags cap, Mallinger told the paper he might…after the tournament was over on Sunday.

Wilson grad John Merrick is faring a little better than Goydos, in a tie for 35th at -2.