It works both ways, though. The 18-year-old South Korean-born New Zealander won the event last year.
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Kang’s amateur partner is comedian Ray Romano, and Kang said he didn’t know of Romano while in Korea but definitely knows him now.
Kang managed par in his first round but was in wonderful form as he put on a masterclass on Friday, starting on the back nine and carding six under courtesy of four birdies and an eagle on the 16th hole.
“I think I probably felt like I actually hit the ball even better than yesterday, but I had a hard time making as many putts as I did yesterday”, Rose said. “I kind of fixed a little something in my driver and long irons after the round yesterday and then before the round today”. He didn’t realize par at Monterey Peninsula was 71 until he scrambled for par on his final hole and realized while signing his card Friday that he set the course record with a career-low 60. Needing a two at the ninth hole to register a 59, Kang hit what he called his “worst shot of the day” to miss the green. “I thought I shot 61”.
Kang is joined at the top of the leaderboard by Hiroshi Iwata of Japan, with Phil Mickelson, Freddie Jacobson, and overnight leader Chez Reavie a shot back.
Chez Reavie opened with an 8-under 63 on Monterey Peninsula, which played 1 ½ shots under par and was the easiest of the three courses on Thursday. That included an eagle at the par-5 6th hole.
“I’ve been in such great position, but I’m just 1 under on the par-5s”, he said. “The last piece is performing (in) the clutch”.
“I drove the ball spectacular”, said the world’s No. 1-ranked player.
Kyle Stanley (73 at Spyglass) of Gig Harbor and Andres Gonzales (74 at Monterey) of Olympia were in the group tied for 75th at even par. Cowan typically carries Jim Furyk’s bag, but Furyk is sidelined in the wake of wrist surgery.
“A fellow caddie hooked me up, Steve Hoch is his name”, Cowan said.
“I’ve struggled putting here at Monterey in the past few years”.
“I would like to make more birdies”, said the quiet, Japanese-speaking Iwata through an interpreter.
LANGER LEADS: Bernhard Langer shot a 10-under 62 to take a four-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Chubb Classic in Naples, Fla. He, too, likes his chances.
“The introduction of a Board, with external competency-based members, is one of a number of steps that the GUI is taking towards creating a more open organisation” said Pat Finn, CEO of the GUI. “It will be my first competitive round ever at Pebble, so it will be a good day”. No. 3 Jason Day shot a 5-under 66 and No. 9 Patrick Reed a 65 at MPCC, and they were tied at 6 under, still very much in contention.
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Defending champion and two-time victor Brandt Snedeker is on par after shooting a two-over par 71.
