Kyle Stanley leads after round two of the Honda Classic – Golf news
Kyle Stanley fired a score of 66 to take the clubhouse lead in the second round of the $5.7 million Honda Classic on Friday at the par-70 Champion Course of the PGA National Resort & Spa in Florida, US.
The 23-year-old American posted six birdies against two bogeys on a wind-wrecked course and managed to steal the show while the South African Rory Sabbatini followed.
The resident of Washington teed off from the back and pulled in three back-to-back birdies starting from the par-4 13th. The rookie drove the tee shot on the 13th tee towards the left and landed in the rough, owing to the direction
of the wind. Luckily, he missed the twin bunkers that surrounded the rough on which Stanley’s ball landed. The vigilant golfer hit a 9-iron from there and managed to reach the green in two shots where he posted his first birdie of the day.
On the 14th hole, Stanley encountered a bunker when his tee shot flew right into the arms of the hospitable unit on the left. Aware of the solution, Stanley once again trusted his 9-iron and managed to putt the third shot into the hole. Similar
story was seen at the following hole, which had a slight uphill tee.
The American marched to the front with utmost confidence, reeled three glorious birdies against two bogeys, and wrapped the 36-hole session with a score of six-under.
The 23-year-old Professional Golf Association rookie was very happy at his lead. “I played well,” Stanley said. “The wind probably wasn't as strong as it was yesterday, but I felt like I controlled my golf ball really well, which is what you need to do out
here. And also I putted well.”
The South African, who emulated the course record set by Luke Donald in 2008, chased him with an aggregate of five-under. Sabbatini opened the second round at par, but hammered seven birdies in the day to take the back seat.
Two strokes behind the leader was yet another South African, Charl Schwartzel. The winner of Joburg Open struggled on the back as he dropped three shots but regained his pace in the front after earning three birdies.
Tags: