Shelton shot 67, Kim 69, and Barnes 70. We both holed about an 18-20-footer on the first hole. “You get a little nervy in the middle, but then kind of settled down and hit some good shots”.
Advertisement
Barnes and Piercy were the top pairing of the afternoon, and neither golfer hid the fact that they fed off each other’s success.
Barnes, who has never won on the US Tour after a stellar amateur career that included winning the 2002 US Amateur Championship, sank three birdies on the first five holes and four more on the back nine. He also earned a spot to play in the PGA Championship.
“I’ve won a couple of times where I think a couple of the guys that are up there haven’t won yet”, Piercy.
“I think what’s probably a bigger advantage is that I’ve gotten it done a couple of times. Barnes missed eagle at 13 from 13’11”, settling for a two-putt birdie. Barnes had birdies on holes 16 and 17 and is seeking his first PGA Tour win in 202 events. It was his best finish since taking second at the 2009 U.S. Open, the only other time he shared a 54-hole lead.
South Korean Kim Meen-whee and Australia’s Mark Hensby held the joint lead at the halfway stage of the Barbasol Championship in Alabama.
Piercy finished second at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January before capturing the inaugural Alabama event for players who didn’t make the British Open field.
A vehicle crash in 2006 halted his progress and a subsequent shoulder injuries saw Hensby fall well away in terms of performance and his tournaments played dwindled from 12 in 2010 to six a year later, two in 2012 and just one in 2013.
It was Hensby’s first start on the PGA Tour in two years and so while his final day was disappointing there was a lot to take out of the week for the former John Deere Classic victor and Presidents Cup player.
Gore knocked 10 strokes off his Friday score, when he had five bogeys for a 73. He finished up his bogey-free round strong with back-to-back birdies at eight and nine, both of which were from about eight feet.
“I struck it beautifully all week and made enough putts to get it done”, he said.
Jang had a 9-under 133 total at Highland Meadows.
Rain delayed the tournament for over an hour, even before the final group teed off. Delays Friday forced 54 players to complete Round 2 Saturday morning.
Advertisement
South Korea’s Q Baek was second after a 67.
