Im shoots 65, grabs American Express lead
LA QUINTA, Calif. — Sungjae Im shot a 7-under-par 65 on Friday at The American Express to take a one-stroke lead over first-round leader Brandon Hagy and four others.
Im, a 22-year-old South Korean who was the PGA Tour’s rookie of the year in 2019, had seven birdies in the bogey-free round on the Stadium Course at PGA West.
Hagy was in position to join Im at 11 under but bogeyed his final hole with a tee shot into the fairway bunker to finish his 70.
Nick Taylor (66), Si Woo Kim (68), Tony Finau (66) and Abraham Ancer (65) also were 10 under. Emiliano Grillo (66), Francesco Molinari (66) and Doug Ghim (68) were two shots off the lead.
The leaderboard was crowded with low scores as usual at the Palm Springs-area tournament long hosted by Bob Hope. Im, Taylor and Ancer were among 12 players who didn’t make a bogey Friday.
■ LPGA: At Lake Buena Vista, Fla., fifth-ranked Danielle Kang, a Las Vegas resident, shot 6-under 65 for a 13-under 129 total to stretch her Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions lead to two strokes over No. 4 Nelly Korda (66). In Gee Chun (65) and defending champion Gaby Lopez (68) were four shots back in the season-opening, winners-only event.
■ European PGA: At Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Tyrrell Hatton moved five shots ahead of first-round leader Rory Mcilroy in the season-opening Abu Dhabi Championship’s second round. Play was halted because of faded light with Hatton through 13 holes and Mcilroy through 14. The round is to restart Saturday with Mcilroy tied for second with three others.
■ Champions: At Kaupulehu, Hawaii, Jerry Kelly birdied his final hole for a 5-under 67, matching Darren Clarke (68) at 13-under 131 to share the Mitsubishi Electric Championship lead by two shots over first-round leader Retief Goosen (71), who bogeyed his final two holes.