Kevin Na had an adventurous second round, offsetting three bogeys with a half-dozen birdies for a three-under 63 on Friday to grab a share of the lead at the Players Championship.
Na’s roller-coaster round put him in a tie with fellow American Jerry Kelly, who fired a seven-under 65 to finish 36 holes at eight-under 136.
South Africa’s Branden Grace posted a five-under 67 to move into a tie for third place at six-under. He was joined there by Canada’s David Hearn (71), and Americans Chris Kirk (68) and Rickie Fowler (69).
Photo: AP
Rory McIlroy managed a one-under 71 and finished 36 holes at four-under, while two-time winner Tiger Woods carded a 71 to end at even-par 144.
Na led Matt Kuchar by one stroke heading into the fourth round, but stumbled to a 76, dropping him into a tie with two others for seventh place. Na teed off in the morning and had an up-and-down beginning to his round. He missed the green at the first hole and made bogey before rebounding with a 17-foot birdie putt on two and a 19-footer birdie putt on three.
“I came here and kind of worked out a few things off the tee. I had a few loose ones today, but overall ... I felt like I hit it really good,” Na said.
Mauritius Open
Javi Colomo hailed the shot of his life after he became the first European or Asian Tour player to hit a hole in one on a par-four to make the cut at the Mauritius Open.
The Spaniard, needing to birdie his final hole to reach the weekend rounds, produced the perfect drive for an albatross on the 329-yard ninth on Friday.
Colomo and his wife Cristina, who was caddying for him, initially did not realize what had happened.
“First time in my life I hit an unbelievable driver, very high with a little cut,” the 31-year-old said, in comments released by organizers.
Colomo added: “We couldn’t see [the ball go in the hole], but we heard some guys shouting. We thought the ball was very close, but when we were on the fairway, we couldn’t see the ball on the green. And then one guy told me that the ball was in the hole.”
Leading was Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen with a nine-under 133 total after a second-round 68. Second was Swede Pelle Edberg on 134, while Briton Matthew Fitzpatrick (135) was third.
Taiwan’s Hung Chien-yao was in a share for 39th place after following up a first-round 70 with 71 on Friday.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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