PGA National Champion Course is widely regarded as one of the most hard stops on tour, but the 2016 Honda Classic is agreeing with Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia after the pair tied for the 54-hole lead at nine under par.
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World number five Rickie Fowler fired another bogey-free 66 to take a one-shot lead after two rounds of the US PGA Tour’s Honda Classic.
Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia are four shots clear of the chasing pack following an eventful round at The Honda Classic.
However, Australian Scott rebounded with a birdie at the par-three 17th before parring the last to card 66 in blustery conditions for a nine-under total of 201. The Spaniard notched three birdies and two bogeys, which occurred when he missed a seven-foot par putt at the first and a 13-foot par putt at the sixth. He was three shots ahead going to the tee on the par-3 15th, and it was starting to look like a runaway. “The Match Play and the Tour Championship, those are the only two events that I have not had the opportunity to play”.
In his first start since he lost a two-shot lead with two holes left at the Phoenix Open, Fowler put himself right back in position to win.
Fowler became the first player to go bogey-free over the first two rounds of the tournament since it moved to the Champion course in 2007.
“I wasn’t expecting it, and even less to go from being three back to being one in front”, Garcia said. “I’m obviously a little further back than I wanted to be”.
In fact, Fowler was the only one of four top-10 players to make the cut. His playing partner, Jimmy Walker, shot a 9-over 79. “Still swung it all right, made a couple bad swings, but just couldn’t get the right reads and struggled on the greens”. “Rickie is playing really, really well so I am going to have to play extremely well to keep up with him and hopefully we’ll have a good chance on Sunday”. “I have to say, I’ve played better every day this week, and it started pretty good”.
His longest par putt was 12 feet on No. 4 after driving into a bunker, and he ended the day with a 25-foot birdie putt.
“I guess that’s why they call it the Bear Trap”, said Scott of holes 15, 16 and 17.
On Saturday, he didn’t make a birdie and fell five shots behind with a 74.
The tour said the Acworth resident complained of chest pains after his round and went to see the medical staff at PGA National.
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The Clara man bogeyed the 10th and 11th and then three putted the 14th for a double bogey. In 2011, Scott took an 8 on that hole in the opening round. Justin Thomas opened with three straight birdies and had to settle for a 68, putting him at four-under 206 with Fowler. “It’s going to be an exciting day for me”.
