Martin Kaymer followed a record-setting start with a three-under-par 69 to lead Jordan Spieth by one stroke after Friday’s second round of the US$10 million USPGA Tour’s Players Championship.
Germany’s Kaymer, whose first-round 63 matched the tournament record and included a TPC Sawgrass record front-side 29, was on 12-under 132 after 36 holes.
“I see very positive things that I backed up nine-under-par with another decent round,” Kaymer said.
Photo: AFP
Spieth, the 20-year-old US prodigy who contended at last month’s Masters, was bogey-free through the first two rounds after a 66 to finish on 133 with fellow American Russell Henley third on 136.
“I’m very happy with the way I’m striking the ball,” Spieth said.
Englishman Lee Westwood and his countryman Justin Rose, the reigning US Open champion, shared fourth on 138 with Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Americans Gary Woodland and Jim Furyk.
Kaymer, who won his first major title at the 2010 PGA Championship, hit only six of 14 fairways — half as many as on Thursday — but remained solid with his irons and putter.
“I didn’t hit as many fairways as yesterday, but I managed my way quite nicely around the golf course, had a couple of nice up-and-downs, two longer putts went in,” Kaymer said. “So I think I kept it really well together and kept myself in the tournament.”
The 29-year-old from Dusseldorf sank a 28-foot birdie putt at the par-three third and responded to a bogey at the seventh with a five-foot birdie putt at the par-five ninth.
Kaymer followed with a 12-foot birdie putt at the 12th, found the rough and a greenside bunker at 14 on the way to a bogey, but answered with a 30-foot birdie putt at 15 and a five-foot birdie putt at the par-three 17th.
Adam Scott, one of four players who this week can overtake Tiger Woods for the world No. 1 ranking, fired a 67 to make the cut with a share of 64th.
A nightmare 77 for the second-ranked Australian in round one nearly doomed last year’s Masters winner’s bid to topple Woods, with a top-16 finish needed to achieve the feat.
“I think my game is pretty good, but certainly at Augusta and then kind of here, as well, my pace putting has been poor, and it’s a big momentum killer,” Scott said.
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