Limbaugh avoids the left, and right, to help Zoeller.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. _ Rush Limbaugh can hit `em straight down the middle.

On the golf course, that is.

The conservative talk show host made his second appearance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Teamed with Fuzzy Zoeller, the duo shot a respectable 70 at Spyglass Hill on Thursday. Since Zoeller carded a 1-over-par 73, that means Limbaugh carried his team.

"I was hitting them_two or three birdies for our team were actually by moi," Limbaugh said. "This is a tough course. And I had some butterflies out there."

Limbaugh was on the course when his friend, former U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft, was confirmed by the Senate as attorney general. Ashcroft's confirmation hearings had been contentious, and he was the last nominee of President Bush's cabinet to be confirmed_by a 58-42 vote.

"I know he was going to make it, but I didn't hear about it until we were at the tee box on the 18th," Limbaugh said.

Tom Pernice Jr., who was also in Limbaugh's group, said Limbaugh was received well by a potentially hostile crowd: "As liberal as they are out here, they were very nice."