New Orleans: Long-hitting American Bubba Watson eagled the par-five 11th for a second consecutive day on his way to a one-shot lead in the second round of the Zurich Classic on Friday.
Joint pacesetter overnight with Australian Matt Jones, the left-hander fired a four-under-par 68 in dazzling sunshine at the TPC Louisiana and stayed in front of the late starters as the greens firmed up and wind strengthened in the afternoon.
Watson, 32, also recorded three birdies and a lone bogey to take control of the PGA Tour event with a ten-under total of 134.
American Josh Teater, a rookie on the circuit last year, briefly got to 11-under before double-bogeying the last for a 66 and second place.
John Rollins carded a 69 to lie third at eight-under, a stroke in front of fellow Americans Jason Dufner (69), Webb Simpson (69) and Dean Wilson (64), plus Australians John Senden (67) and Jones (71).
Watson, who clinched his second PGA Tour victory at the Farmers Insurance Open in January, was delighted to be heading into the weekend in contention for another title.
"This is what we strive to do," he said. "We always want the pressure. We always want the nerves, the butterflies. We're trying to win golf tournaments.
"I've gotten lucky enough to win two so far and I'm trying to go for my third.
"I've just putted really well, hit a lot of good tee shots and stayed out of the water as much as possible.
"If I could play the same the next two days, I have a great shot at winning."
Enjoying the 11th
On Thursday, Watson eagled the 11th after hitting a booming 343-yard drive followed by a soaring six-iron over a cypress tree that landed 32 feet from the pin.
On Friday, he eagled the same hole after belting his tee shot 329 yards down the fairway, striking his second from 244 yards to 20 feet and coolly knocking in the putt.
"Yeah, that hole was good for me," he said.
British world number three Luke Donald, beaten in a play-off for the Heritage last Sunday, was hot on Watson's heels with seven holes to play before losing momentum.
Eight-under overall, Donald bogeyed the third, his 12th hole of the day, and then double-bogeyed the fourth before carding a 71 to end the round five strokes off the pace.
"You're going to make a few mistakes occasionally," said the Englishman, who could become world number one with victory this week. "Up until then I played pretty solid golf.
"Through 29 holes, I only missed a couple of greens. But I'm still there or thereabouts and the greens are only going to get firmer. It will be a tough weekend."
The cut fell at one-under 143 with last week's Heritage champion Brandt Snedeker, former world number one David Duval and US Open champion Graeme McDowell among those missing out.
Scores
Leading second round of US PGA Zurich Classic (US unless noted, par 72):
134 - Bubba Watson 66-68
135 - Josh Teater 69-66
136 - John Rollins 67-69
137 - John Senden (AUS) 70-67, Jason Dufner 68-69, Matt Jones (AUS) 66-71, Webb Simpson 68-69, Dean Wilson 73-64
138 - Tommy Gainey 67-71, Steve Stricker 70-68, David Mathis
139 - Luke Donald (GBR) 68-71, K.J. Choi (KOR) 68-71, Nick O'Hern (AUS) 67-72, Cameron Tringale 72-67, David Hearn (CAN) 71-68, Camilo Villegas (COL) 71-68, Matt Bettencourt 68-71, Nick Watney 71-68, Joe Durant 67-72, Billy Mayfair 69-70.
