American Jimmy Walker fired a bogey-free eight-under par 62 on Friday to seize a one-stroke lead in the second round of the storm-interrupted US PGA Wyndham Championship. Walker stood on 12-under 128 through 36 holes, one stroke ahead of reigning US Open champion Webb Simpson of the United States, the defending tournament champion who fired a 63. Spain’s Sergio Garcia, Sweden’s Carl Pettersson, American Harrison English and South Africa’s Tim Clark shared third on 130 but players were scattered across the course, all with six holes or fewer to complete.
Walker birdied the second and third holes and closed the front nine with back-to-back birdies as well. He birdied the 11th and then charged in with birdies at the par-5 15th, par-3 16th and par-4 17th to grab the lead.
“It was pretty boring-looking golf — not a lot of drivers, not a lot of 3-woods,” Walker said. “There’s a lot of 5-woods and some irons, and it’s just kind of placement around the golf course.” Walker, 33, is seeking his first PGA title. He had three top-10 finishes in his first six tournaments of the season but suffered a left knee injury and skipped the US Open for treatment on the injury. He snatched the top spot from Simpson, who closed with four birdies in the final five holes in his own charge up the leaderboard. “To play a round on a golf course this tricky without a bogey is always a good thing,” Simpson said. Pettersson, who led after an opening-round 62, birdied the par-5 15th in a two-under 68 second round to stumble back.
“I struggled. Didn’t have much, but I thought it was a good comeback,” said Pettersson. “Two-under par was OK for the game that I had, and hopefully I can hit the ball better on the weekend and have a chance.” American Tim Herron matched the tournament record with a 61 but was seven strokes off the pace. “I didn’t really have anything to lose,” Herron said. “I kind of zoned in a little bit today and just kind of kept rolling and making putts.” Herron hopes to advance at least eight spots on the points list to crack the top 125 and qualify for the PGA playoffs that begin next week at The Barclays. Among those missing the cut and on the bubble for reaching the field next week were American Boo Weekley, rated 121st on the points list, and No. 125 Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela.
Japan’s Miyazato shares LPGA lead: Japan’s Mika Miyazato fired a seven-under par 65 on Friday to grab a share of the lead with American Sydnee Michaels after the opening round of the LPGA Safeway Classic.
Miyazato had eight birdies against a lone bogey to stand atop the leaderboard with Michaels, who birdied four holes in a row on her way to making a career low and sharing the lead in the 54-hole event at Pumpkin Ridge.
“My golf game is very confident right now,” Miyazato said. “To begin the season I was not so very good. I started to shoot right in four or five events. So I’m gaining more confidence in my golf game.” Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum, American Cristie Kerr and South Korean Inbee Park shared third on 66 with South Koreans So Yeon Ryu and Jee Young Lee on 67 along with Americans Brittany Lincicome and Alison Walshe. Miyazato began with a birdie and followed with back-to-back birdies at the par-4 fourth and par-5 fifth holes. After taking her lone bogey at the par-4 sixth, she birdied four holes in a row starting at the ninth and closed with a birdie at 18 to claim a share of the lead. “My short game was very, very good,” Miyazato said. “It’s more important the short game on this course. The greens were hard and had more speed, very quick.”
