Dallas, Williamsburg (Virginia): Jason Kokrak rocketed up the leader board, firing a bogey-free 62 in the second round of the Byron Nelson as world No. 1 Dustin Johnson shot a second straight 67 to remain in striking distance.
Kokrak, who is seeking his first win on the USPGA Tour, fired a career-low eight-under-par round to forge his way into five-shot lead at 12-under 128 at the TPC Las Colinas course outside of Dallas.
“If a shot fits my eye or I see it, I like to pull the trigger,” Kokrak said Friday.
Former FedEx Cup and Tour Championship winner Billy Horschel shot a 65 on Friday and is alone in second at 133.
Half a dozen players — Johnson, Cameron Tringale (68), An Byeong-Hun of South Korea (66), Bud Cauley (67), Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela (68) and first-round co-leader James Hahn (70) — are six shots back at 134.
Kokrak’s round included eight birdies, a 12-foot par putt on the 10th hole and a Seven-foot par putt on the 18th.
“Anytime you can have a bogey-free round on any golf course on the PGA Tour is awesome,” Kokrak said.
“I made a lot of birdies out there and it was nice. I’m normally a pretty aggressive player and that’s how I played today.”
Johnson said he had to battle strong winds for the second straight round.
“This morning, the first nine holes we played the wind was howling, really blowing hard like it was yesterday the whole day,” Johnson said. “But it kind of laid back with six holes to go.
“The game is still not quite as sharp as it was leading into Augusta, but it’s getting there — it’s getting close.”
Defending champion and reigning Masters champion Sergio Garcia shot a 65 and moved back into contention at 138, while world No. 6 Jordan Spieth shot a 75 on Friday and missed the cut.
In Williamsburg, Virginia. Lexi Thompson extended her lead to three shots on Friday at the LPGA Kingsmill Championship after posting a second straight six-under-par 65.
At 12-under 130 after two rounds, Thompson was halfway to her first win of the 2017 season. Playing partner and fellow American Gerina Piller was alone in second after a 67.
Four shots behind Thompson at 134 were New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the world number one, who carded a 67, and American Candie Kung, whose 66 in the second round included an eagle on the par-4 sixth hole.
Five back are Chung In-gee (66) of South Korea and Vicky Hurst (67).
Thompson and the rest of the field endured a rain delay, but the long-hitting American was stellar with six birdies and no bogeys while hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation on the River Course at Kingsmill Resort.
“It’s just a good golf course for me,” she said. “I get to hit a lot of drivers, actually, a lot of 3-woods out here as well. I just love the shape of the golf course. It’s in perfect shape for us once again this year.”
Leading scores
(USA unless noted)
128 — Jason Kokrak 66-62
133 — Billy Horschel 68-65
134 — An Byeong-Hun (KOR) 68-66, Dustin Johnson 67-67, Cameron Tringale 66-68, Bud Cauley 67-67, James Hahn 64-70, Jhonattan Vegas (VEN) 66-68
135 — Peter Malnati 67-68, Grayson Murray 72-63, Morgan Hoffmann 69-66, Chad Campbell 68-67.
