New Zealander Danny Lee is a further shot behind following a round of 68 on Friday, while Rickie Fowler and Stephen Bowditch will begin round three six shots off the lead having reached -10 after 36 holes of the restricted-field event.
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Leader Jordan Spieth, however, had a different take. It gave the Texan a 9-under 64 for a four-shot lead in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions on Friday.
Kevin Kisner, playing in the final group with Spieth, tried to keep pace but missed three birdie putts inside 6 feet. Spieth is in the lead.
“I haven’t hit my targets to the extent that I would like to see at the highest level of my game”, said Spieth.
“Brooks shot 10 under today, and that’s insane”, said Spieth.
Defending champion Patrick Reed slipped from second to third and remains on 18-under, while Brandt Snedeker and Fabian Gomez are in a tie for fourth on 15-under.
“It was a similar round to yesterday”, said Spieth.
“It came across the hole and took a peek, I guess (at dropping in)”.
“I just tried to put a smooth swing on it”, Spieth, 22, told Golf Channel about his three-iron approach at the last.
When you win on the PGA Tour, there are two main perks: a trip to Augusta for the Masters and another one to Maui for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. “We’ll just make a bunch of birdies and see what happens”.
“I go from leading by one to leading by four and that’s huge”, Spieth said.
Scotland’s Russell Knox is tied in 21st – along with Jason Day – on three under while Graeme McDowell is a further two shots back in 29th. After a big drive, he crushed a 3-wood from 309 yards onto the green, where it settled down about 16 feet from the flag, and he converted the eagle putt to close out an 8-under 65.
Koepka, despite failing to birdie two of the par 5s, had a career-best 63 and at one point got within one shot of Spieth.
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“This is one [tournament] that we strive to make each year, and if I am eligible to play in this tournament and I’m not [playing in it], I hope every single one of you calls me and bashes me for it”, he said to the assembled media prior to this week’s event. He would appear to have little chance of getting to No. 1 this week.
