Morgan Hoffmann retains lead at the Utah Championship
Morgan Hoffmann has defied the odds of the historical Friday - the 13th, which nurtures the superstitious belief of risks attached to doing anything on the day, by carding a four-under par 67 in the second round of Utah Championship, to prove it is not an
unlucky day for everyone after all.
The American will head into the third round of the US$550,000 PGA Tour event with a one-stroke lead over Doug LaBelle II, Andres Gonzales and Tyrone Van Aswegen after compiling a two-day total of 11-under par 131.
"I'm excited for the weekend," said the veteran of the 2009 U.S. Walker Cup, where he was teammates with Cowboy golfers Rickie Fowler and Peter Uihlein.
"I'm feeling a lot more comfortable with my swing and my putting. I changed up something small on the greens," Hoffmann continued, "and it's helped out".
Aswegen closed with two consecutive birdies to move up to second place with a nine-under par 62, tying the course record shared with Trevor Murphy, who had a flawless round with seven birdies and an amazing eagle.
Murphy (62) and Michael Putnam (66) shared the fifth place on nine-under par 133. Murphy is playing the first event of the 2012 Web.com Tour as he lost his exemption last year after finishing 102nd on the money list.
Currently, he is playing accompanied by his wife Amanda, who is serving as his caddie for the week.
Seven players, which include Lee Williams, Brian Stuard, Brad Fritsch , James Hahn , Michael Letzig , Scott Gutschewski and James Love were tied for seventh position on 134.
While Hoffmann was getting ready for his tee shot on the seventh hole, a wind and rain storm hit the Willow Creek Country Club.
His tee shot on the eighth hole (his seventeenth of the day) went 206 yards, which according to him, went 250 yards on Thursday.
"I thought the storm would be more fun. I just wish everybody would have had to play in it and see what it was like," said Hoffmann, a former Oklahoma State Cowboy who turned pro after his junior season.
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