Johnson on last legs

After finishing in the middle of the pack at last week's Neediest Kids Championship, Kevin Johnson knew he had some serious ground to make up in the last two events of the year, if he wanted to assure keeping his job.

In Thursday's first round in Miami, Johnson made things more difficult for himself. He started off slow with two early bogeys, battled back to get to 1-over on the round with two holes to play, and gave it away with bogeys on the last two holes.

It all added up to an opening 74. With the lead at 64, not good.

Now Johnson faces a challenge if he wants to make the cut, and missing cuts isn't really an option at this point. The cut has just moved from even to 1-over, and it looks like 1-over should be safe to make the cut, considering the upward trend of scores today.

So, he needs a 69 this afternoon. Teeing off at 1:10 p.m., with winds slated to gust above 20 mph this afternoon, Johnson will not have an easy time of it. Neither will the field.

Making the cut would be a start, but Johnson would need to continue the push on the weekend if he wants to put himself in a better position going into next week's full-field season finale.

But for now, making the cut is the pressing concern. And that itself carries plenty of s challenge.

Notes:

-When I talked to Jason Allred in Wichita, it seemed like the journeyman pro has gained a fresh perspective about the game. He told me how having kids has loosened him up on the course, making him realize the relative unimportance of one's golf ability.

The season's final stretch has been a mixed bag for Allred, successful top-15 finishes sprinkled together with many missed cuts.

So far this week, Allred is looking like a safe bet to make the cut, and maybe more. Allred fired an opening 64 to take the day-one lead in Miami, using a torrid stretch of five birdies in a six-hole run to vault up the leaderboard.

Currently No. 78 on the money list, Allred needs he knows a special week or two to keep his full status for next year. After three consecutive seasons of limited eligibility coming into 2012, it would surely mean a lot.

-So far on Friday, Kevin Tway is experiencing a harsh reality check of the rigors of professional golf. The former Oklahoma State standout with the decorated amateur career has failed to make a cut this season in four appearances split between the PGA and Web.com Tours, and is in jeopardy of missing another in Miami.

After Thursday's round, that didn't seem to be the case at all. Tway opened the proceedings with a 4-under 67, moving into the top 10 with a six-birdie, two-bogey effort.

But today, it's crashing down in a hurry. Tway has opened with five bogeys and five pars in his first ten holes, putting him perilously on the cut line with eight holes to play.

If he hopes to finally play the weekend this year, he needs to stop the bleeding fast.