Hossler leads the pack
Beau Hossler was steady while 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 68 for a two-day total of 11-under 133, good enough for the second 36-hole lead of his rookie season. He shared the lead with Dustin Johnson at the halfway mark at Pebble Beach before falling out of contention.
Hossler opened with a bogey but didn’t drop another shot the rest of the day, finishing with a wedge from 114 yards to inside 3 feet 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 the tough par-4 18th, leading to bogey.
Sam Ryder (68), Abraham Ancer (66) and Nicholas Lindheim (66) joined Fowler (68) at 10 under.
Jordan Spieth’s putter heated up before his momentum stalled with a missed 3-footer on the 16th hole. He shot 67 and was two shots back as he seeks his first win of the season on the eve of the Masters. Spieth lost in a playoff in Houston in 2015 and went on to win the first of his three major titles the following week at Augusta National.
“From where I was three days ago, my goal (is) accomplished for the week already,” Spieth said. “So at this point anything else is icing on the cake. It was a round that could have been really special. But I don’t have to (shoot) 8 or 9 under. I feel like my game’s in form, and that’s really cool. I’m having a lot of fun out there.”
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. He finished with a 71.
Twenty-two players were within three shots of the lead.
Paul Dunne of Ireland, who finished his first-round 64 on Friday morning, was 9 under after a 71. Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar were among the dozen players at 8 under.
Madison’s Steve Stricker soared to a 75 and missed the cut. He needed to win the tournament to qualify for the Masters.
LPGA Tour: Pernilla Lindberg and Sung Hyun Park quietly broke away at the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Park and Lindberg topped the leader board at a tournament-record 12-under 132, three strokes ahead of third-place Jessica Korda after two rounds in hot and calm conditions at Mission Hills.
Park shot an 8-under 64 for the best round of the week. The U.S. Women’s Open winner played a nine-hole stretch in 7 under. She holed 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. The 31-year-old Swede had the first-round lead at 65, and was the only player without a bogey the first two days.
Korda had seven birdies in a 68 to get to 9 under.