Duncan moves into lead at PGA opener
NAPA, Calif. — Tyler Duncan chipped in from the fringe for an eagle on the par-5 18th hole Friday to take the second-round lead in the season-opening Safeway Open.
Making his second career PGA Tour start, Duncan shot a 6-under-par 66 for a one-stroke lead over 2016 tournament champion Brendan Steele at Silverado Resort and Spa’s North Course.
Duncan, the Web.com Tour graduate who shared the firstround lead with Steele and Tom Hoge, also had seven birdies and three bogeys to reach 13-under 131 for 36 holes.
“It’s crazy — it’s nothing I could have ever dreamed of,” said Duncan, whose only other PGA Tour event was as a regional qualifier in the 2015 U.S. Open. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, to be honest. It’s something I’ve dreamed about for a long time. I’m just happy to be playing here, and to be in the lead is something special.”
Steele had six birdies and a bogey in a 67.
“It was really a solid day, very similar to yesterday,” he said. “I hit a lot of good shots, rolled and a lot of good putts and was able to watch Chesson go crazy.”
Chesson Hadley, who began the second round seven shots behind the leaders, broke the course record with a career-best 61 to get within two strokes. He parred the final two holes of a round that included an eagle, 10 birdies and a bogey.
Zac Blair (66) and Tony Finau (65) were 9 under, and Graham DeLaet (67) and Brian Davis (66) were another stroke back.
Baylor School graduates Stephan Jaeger (72) and Luke List (7) were tied for 55th at 2 under and made the cut by a stroke. Two other former Red Raiders will miss the weekend — Harris English (74) was at par overall and a stroke off the number for the cut, while Keith Mitchell (77) was 5 over.
Also missing the cut was Athens, Tenn., native Eric Axley (75), who was 3 over.
Record round
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Tommy Fleetwood broke the course record at Carnoustie with a 9-under 63 in the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and was tied for the overall lead with 2016 tournament champion Tyrrell Hatton.
Hatton also tamed the tough British Open venue, shooting a 65 to move to 11 under after 36 holes. The leaders were a stroke clear of Nicolas Colsaerts and two ahead of Paul Dunne and Marcel Siem. Colsaerts shot a 67 on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Dunne had a 68 at Carnoustie and Siem had a 66 on the Old Course.
Fleetwood birdied six of the last eight holes on the Championship Course to complete a bogey-free round and beat the record by a shot. Carnoustie is regarded as the most difficult of the three courses — Kingsbarns is the other host — that stage the tournament, which will hold its final round on the Old Course.
Rory McIlroy shot a 71 at Carnoustie and was at par overall. Eleven shots off the lead, McIlroy is likely to finish a season without a victory for just the second time in his pro career.