Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge made the most of his growing comfort level on the Old White Course by charging into a tie for the lead in Friday’s second round of the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia.
The burly 31-year-old, who finished third in the event’s inaugural edition here 12 months ago, fired a sparkling three-under-par 67 to vault to the top of the standings at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs.
De Jonge rebounded from an early bogey with four birdies to post a seven-under total of 133, ending a sun-splashed day level with American Webb Simpson, who sank a six-foot birdie putt at the last for a 68.
Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa, who set the first-round pace with a sizzling 64, was a further stroke back after carding a 70 while US world No. 6 Phil Mickelson missed the cut after shooting a 73.
De Jonge, who had opened with a 66 in pursuit of a maiden victory on the USPGA Tour, was delighted with his form at the picturesque resort venue situated in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains.
“I started out a little bit shaky but I made some good pars at the beginning of the round and got some momentum going,” de Jonge told reporters. “It was nice. I felt like I had pretty good control of the ball.”
The Zimbabwean’s best USPGA Tour finish was his third place in last year’s Greenbrier Classic and he said he had liked the par-70 layout when he first saw it.
De Jonge posted three top-three finishes on the 2010 USPGA Tour and believes he simply needs to stay out of his own way if he is to pull off a long-awaited breakthrough victory on the US circuit.
“It’s very, very difficult to win out here; it’s difficult to win anywhere,” he said. “The biggest thing is just getting out of my own way.”
“Staying in your own routine ... is the best way to put it,” de Jonge said.
Britain’s Brian Davis birdied five of his last nine holes for a scintillating 64 to lie two shots off the pace, level with Americans Gary Woodland (70), Michael Letzig (66), Derek Lamely (70) and Scott Stallings (65).
The cut fell at one-over 141 with four-times major champion Mickelson the biggest name to fall by the wayside — his first missed cut this year in 15 PGA Tour starts.
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