Chris Kirk (US), tied first after round one with a 64, kept up his fine golf going with a second round 65 to lead on 11 under par after 36 holes in the $7.9 million Sony Open in Hawaii on the PGA Tour.
37 year-old Kirk, has seven career wins, four on the PGA Tour and three on the Korn Ferry Tour, and currently stands 90th in the OWGR and has a high of 16th in May, 2015.
He opened up with three consecutive birdies from the first tee.
A bogey on six saw him out in two under par 33. On the back nine three birdies on holes 12, 14 and 18 and no bogeys saw him hand in a card of 65.
In tied second, one shot back, are Taylor Montgomery (US) and J. J. Spaun (US).
World number 15 Jordan Spieth made six bogeys and a birdie and shot 75 to miss the projected cut by one.
‘It was just a bad day,’ he said. ‘It didn’t feel like it was much different. I feel like I was on a really bad deck of cards today. I made a couple bad swings off the tee but other than that I didn’t play that different. I just ended up a foot into the rough here, or right behind a tree here.
‘It was a weird, weird day,’ he continued. ‘Left like six or seven putts short, in the heart, thought the greens were going to be faster. Just a really off day.’
Spieth’s problems started with inaccuracy off the tee, as he hit just six fairways. That was only one fewer than in the opening round, but on Friday his misses were far more costly.
‘I’ve never led a tournament and missed the cut before,’ he said.
The projected cut is at two under par with the round incomplete due to darkness.
Second Round leaders in the clubhouse (Par 70, 7022 yards)
C. Kirk (US) 64, 65 = 129
T. Montgomery (US) 64, 66 = 130
J. J. Spaun (US) 66, 64 = 130
H. Buckley (US) 67, 64 = 131
D. Lipsky (US) 65, 66 = 131
