Rickie Fowler watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during the second round of the Honda Classic golf tournament, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
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Rickie Fowler leads at the halfway point, shooting another 66 (8-under for two rounds) on Friday.
Garcia’s playing partner Fowler had four birdies in his bogey-free 66, saving par by holing out from the rough at the 10th, while McGirt’s seven birdies included three in a row to end his round.
A hole out from the fairway for eagle and a shot out of the water – with an alligator lurking in the background – sure made Sergio Garcia’s 5-under par round of 65 memorable Thursday.
World No. 9 Patrick Reed (74-72, 6-over) missed the cut, as did Johnson, Keegan Bradley and 2014 Honda victor Russell Henley. Fowler – a crowd favorite who lives in nearby Jupiter – did not have a bogey and made birdies on holes 2, 3, 8 and 18.
He set a more obscure record Friday with his 4-under 66 to build a one-shot lead over Jimmy Walker.
Thompson, the tournament victor in 2013, also closed out his day with a birdie for a share of the lead.
“I’m just happy to go bogey-free”, Fowler said.
“I hit a great drive down there and had 215 (yards) to the front, 243 to the flag and the wind was howling out of the left”. Sergio Garcia, playing with Fowler, stayed with him until the final four holes.
“Things are starting to shape up nicely”, he said.
The Californian’s sizzling early season form shows no signs of abating as he continues to push the narrative of the “Big Three” becoming the “Big Four” in world golf.
Garcia, who failed to make the cut at last week’s Northern Trust Open, began his round in style when he holed an incredible 148-yard approach for eagle at the par-four second.
“Obviously I’ve played a lot of good rounds of golf so far this year – lots of rounds in the 60s – so that’s good for the confidence”.
Three golfers – Michael Kim, Bronson Burgoon and Chris Baker – were only through 17 holes before play was suspended due to darkness. “The ball, I could see probably half of it, so I knew that I could get it out”.
“I think I have putted well with the short one since the Presidents Cup [in October last year]”, Scott told Sky Sports 4.
Former PGA Championship victor Jason Dufner opened with a 68 while five-times major champion Phil Mickelson was one of six players who carded a 69 as winds gusted up to 30 miles per hour (48 kph). “I was just trying to get it up somewhere left of the green or somewhere on the left side of the green and thankfully it came off straight at the flag and released down to about three feet”.
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“I struggled with the putter a little in the middle of the round, my speed was off just a little bit and I finally got the speed dialed in on 17 and made one and that was nice”, said Walker, who added that he’d heard the roar after Fowler’s birdie at the 9th. Fowler was the only finisher without a bogey, and McGirt, seeking his first career tour victory, closed with three consecutive birdies. McIlroy is the highest-ranked player in the field this week.
