Tim Clark missed a chance to match the PGA record low score of 59 but a nine-under par 62 gave the South African a one-stroke lead after 36 holes at the PGA Deutsche Bank Championship.
Clark had a chance to approach the magical 59 mark after eagles on the second and fourth holes, but he finished with bogeys on the eighth and ninth, trimming his lead over Canada’s Mike Weir.
“For a while, there was certainly a chance of 59,” Clark said. “Although I had 59 on my mind once I made that [second eagle], it didn’t affect my golf. I hit a couple of bad tee shots coming in, but I certainly hit a few good shots.”
BYE-BYE BIRDIES
The South African began and ended his first nine with back-to-back birdies with another at the 14th hole to stand five-under. He began his back nine with a birdie at the first, then eagles at the par-five second and par-four fourth.
“I felt good all day and just kept making birdie after birdie after birdie and then, on my back nine, a couple of eagles really boosted the round,” Clark said.
After a birdie at the seventh, Clark needed to play his last two holes in one-under for a 59 but instead went two over, but standing on 14-under par 128 was a tournament record for 36 holes.
“At the start of the day I just wanted to make the cut to make sure I got into next week,” he said. “I got off to a good start and it snowballed from there. I’m disappointed about the 59, but I’m certainly not disappointed.”
Clark has never won a US PGA event but has three European victories.
Weir was second on 129 with Fiji’s Vijay Singh and American Ben Curtis on 130. South African Ernie Els shared fifth on 131 along with Spanish Sergio Garcia and Americans Jim Furyk and Kevin Streelman.
ROCKY START
Weir, who matched a course record and the PGA’s low round of this year’s season with a 61 on Friday, made two early bogeys while starting on the back nine as well but bounced back with five birdies to fire a second-round 68.
“It wasn’t a great start but there’s lots of golf to be played and I just kept telling myself that,” Weir said.
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