Harman extends good play in Hawaii and takes Sony Open lead

HONOLULU (AP) — Different islands, vastly different golf courses, same good play from Brian Harman.

One week after Harman shared the 36-hole lead at Kapalua, he ran off three straight birdies and closed with a 15-foot eagle putt for a 7-under 63 and a three-shot lead midway through the second round of the Sony Open on Friday.

Harman was at 13-under 127 and led over Zach Johnson (67), John Peterson (64) and Tom Hoge (65).

Except for the tropical warmth, the two golf courses on the Hawaii swing are nothing alike.

The Plantation Course at Kapalua was built on the side of the mountain on the west tip of Maui and features fairways that can stretch nearly 90 yards wide and big slopes in the greens.

Waialae is at sea level — waist-high hedges along the 16th and 17th holes and behind the 11th green are all that separate grass from the beach — with smaller, flatter greens and fairways framed by trees.

“The biggest elevation change here is from the walk down from the hotel,” Harman said. “I’ve always kind of felt like as long as there’s fairways and green and holes to putt it, then I’m going to be fine.”

The Georgia native is playing just as well on Oahu as he did on Maui.

He surged ahead in the morning with two quick birdies on the back nine, made the turn in 32 and ran off three straight birdies early on the front nine.

After dropping his lone shot from a bunker on the par-3 seventh, Harman hit 7-iron from 172 yards to 15 feet on the par-5 ninth for a closing eagle. It’s all just golf to him. “I’m making putts, but I’m also putting myself in position to make those putts,” he said. “I’m getting a bunch of looks. I’m not making everything I’m looking at, but I’m hitting a lot of good putts and made a few. I’m just going to show up tomorrow and try to hit the first tee shot best you can and go from there.”