Hossler has one-shot lead at Houston Open
HUMBLE, Texas — Beau Hossler was steady even as better-known players faltered down the stretch Friday at the Houston Open, leaving him with a one-shot lead heading into the weekend.
The 23-year-old Hossler shot a 4-under-par 68 for a twoday total of 11-under 133, good enough for the second 36-hole lead of his rookie season. He shared the lead with top-ranked Dustin Johnson at the halfway mark of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am last month before falling out of contention.
Hossler opened with a bogey Friday but didn’t drop another stroke the rest of the round, finishing with a wedge shot that took him from 114 yards away to inside three feet from the hole to save par on the tough par-4 18th. He said patience will be key as he seeks his first PGA Tour victory.
“The reality is I’m 11 under par. More than likely 18 under is going to win the tournament unless the conditions are tough, so there’s a long way to go,” Hossler said. “It’s not like I can go shoot even par and win the tournament. But I’m looking forward to the challenge of the weekend.”
Rickie Fowler was tied with Hossler before he hooked his drive into the water on 18, leading to bogey. He shot a 68 to join Abraham Ancer (66), Nicholas Lindheim (66) and Sam Ryder (68) at 10 under.
Twenty-eight golfers were within four shots of the lead at the final tournament before the year’s first major. The winner, if not already in the field for the Masters, is headed to Augusta National Golf Club next week.
Two former Baylor School golfers will continue that quest, with Luke List part of the 12-man tie for 11th after shooting his second straight 68 to move to 8 under and slide 15 spots up the leaderboard. Keith Mitchell, who had sole possession of the lead for part of the first round Thursday, followed his opening 67 with a 71 and was tied for 30th at 6 under.
Each has a runner-up finish on the PGA Tour this year.
The cut was at 3 under, and two other former Red Raiders, Stephan Jaeger (74) and Harris English (70), missed it by a stroke. Each made a double bogey on the tricky 18th — English to cap a round that included two bogeys and six birdies, Jaeger wrapping up a day with six birdies, four bogeys and two double bogeys.
Jordan Spieth’s putter heated up before his momentum stalled with a missed three-footer on the 16th hole. He shot a 67 and was two shots back as he seeks his first win of the season.
Phil Mickelson took the biggest step backward on 18. He was bogey-free for 17 holes and 8 under for the tournament before he found the water twice and made triple bogey.
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — Michelle Wie fought through vertigo, Lexi Thompson battled a balky putter, and Pernilla Lindberg and Sung Hyun Park quietly broke away at the ANA Inspiration.
Lindberg and Park shared the lead at a tournament-record 12-under 132, three strokes ahead of Jessica Korda after two rounds in hot and mostly calm conditions at Mission Hills Country Club.
Thompson was at 4 under after a par round of 72, undone by a series of short missed putts a year after a rules violation cost her four strokes in regulation in an eventual playoff loss.
“I hit it really well today,” Thompson said. “I just struggled on the greens.”
Fighting dizziness caused by a virus, Wie followed her opening 75 with a bogey-free 67 to get to 2 under.
“Saw one golf ball today, which was good,” Wie said.
With little fanfare five groups in front of the Thompson-Wie morning pairing, the fourthranked Park shot a 64 for the best round of the week. The 2017 U.S. Women’s Open champion played a nine-hole stretch in 7 under, holing out for eagle from 100 yards on the par-4 15th to cap the run.
Lindberg had a 67 in the final group of the morning session. She had the first-round lead at 65, and she was the only player without a bogey the first two days.
Korda birdied five of the last 10 holes in a 68 to get to 9 under. Jodi Ewart Shadoff (67), Charley Hull (68), Amy Olson (68) and Ayako Uehara (66) were 7 under, and Stanford sophomore Albane Valenzuela was 6 under after a 71.
Two share LPGA lead