Local favorite Jimmy Walker fired a five-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the USPGA Tour’s Texas Open on Friday.
Walker’s six-under-par total of 138 put him one in front of overnight leader Charley Hoffman, who posted an even-par 72 and was joined on 139 by Australian Aaron Baddeley, who shot a 71.
It was a further stroke back to another Texan, Jordan Spieth, who carded a 69 and was tied on 140 with Kevin Na, who shot a 68.
Photo: AFP
Walker, pleased to be playing in front of family and friends, took advantage of improved weather to grab two birdies in his first five holes before his only bogey of the day, at the par-four 17th.
He responded with a birdie at 18 and closed strong with three birdies on the trot at six, seven and eight — a run that included a 19-foot birdie putt at the par-three seventh.
“I was just kind of around the hole, didn’t make anything and then finally got one to go on six,” Walker said.
“I hit a good iron shot, just got it on top of the ridge there on seven and made that putt,” he added.
“And that 12-footer I made for birdie on the par-five [the eighth], that was a nice little finish,” said Walker, who is seeking his second title of the season after his win at the Sony Open.
The late burst let Walker overtake Hoffman, who was three-under for the day through his first nine holes, but had three bogeys coming in.
Baddeley also teed off on 10 and shook off a double-bogey at the par-four 15th, making five birdies and two bogeys the rest of the way.
Walker said a victory at the TPC San Antonio AT&T Oaks Course would be special.
“A win anywhere means a lot, but being at home, you get to have parents, in-laws, friends, best friends, distant family,” Walker said.
“It would be cool. It doesn’t put any more pressure on you, I think. If anything you’ve got a nice support crew out there and you’ve got good vibes and good mojo — and I believe in all that stuff,” he added.
Spieth arrived in San Antonio off a dramatic playoff victory in the Valspar Championship in Florida — his third victory in five months.
For Na, TPC San Antonio will always be linked to the 16 he recorded on the par-four ninth in 2011, but he is hoping to add some new, better memories to his history here.
“I really like this course and played well today,” Na said.
Trophee Hassan II
Richie Ramsay hit a best-of-the-day 66 to join a four-way tie at the halfway stage of the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco on Friday.
The 31-year-old Scot produced six birdies to add to his first-round 72 to join Australia’s Richard Green, Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Welshman Oliver Farr on six-under-par 138 at the Golf du Palais Royal course.
Farr had looked set to hold the overnight lead sitting seven-under-par until a bogey at the 18th saw him sign for a 68.
Earlier Cabrera-Bello had fired five birdies for two bogeys in a round of 69, one better than Green’s second-round effort.
“The last few months have been frustrating,” said Ramsay, who had missed four cuts in five events to date this year and had to withdraw injured in Dubai.
South Africa’s George Coetzee and England’s Tommy Fleetwood are still in contention to secure a place in the Masters, while Andy Sullivan, Alexander Levy, Marcel Siem and Ross Fisher all missed out in Morocco.
Coetzee and Fleetwood need to win the Hassan Trophy to book a trip to Augusta in a fortnight’s time and reached halfway just one and three shots off the lead respectively.
However, Sullivan, Levy, Siem and Fisher all missed the halfway cut in Agadir, with 2013 champion Siem crashing from joint-sixth overnight with a second-round 79.
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