Matt Kuchar carded a second-round 69 on Friday to take a two-shot lead into moving day on Saturday at the Genesis Invitational in California, writes ANDRE HUISAMEN.
Kuchar showed great composure to follow his first-round 64 up with another excellent showing on Friday and will feel comfortable on nine under par heading into the weekend’s action.
Two bogeys on the front nine disrupted his start to the second round, but he did well to come home with two birdies on the back nine to regain his place at the top of the leaderboard.
However, he will have to weather a Rory McIlroy storm in the next two days if he wants any chance of winning the competition.
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The new World No 1 jumped five places up the leaderboard on Friday with a four-under-par 67 to move within two strokes of Kuchar.
He settled for six birdies and two bogeys in his round.
McIlroy will start Saturday’s third round in T2 alongside Harold Varner III and Wyndham Clark, who both went three under in their respective rounds and remain in a solid position to counter for the top spot in the next 36 holes.
A two-over-par 73 by Tiger Woods had the 2019 Masters champion drop down to T45 at even par after a solid start in Thursday’s first round.
South Africa’s hopes of having a player in contention at the Riviera Country Club were smashed when none of Dyllan Frittelli, Erik van Rooyen and Branden Grace were able to make the cut after the first two rounds.
The weekend is very well set for an exciting finish to the competition with loads of players at the top of the leaderboard capable of claiming a win.
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