Eagle-2 helps DeLaet share Heritage lead
Canadian gets in position for first PGA Tour victory.
Graham DeLaet always loved playing at Harbour Town Golf Links, but rarely got the results he thought he should — until this week.
DeLaet followed up his career-best 6-under 65 in the first round with a 67 Friday to share the lead with Luke Donald midway through the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Donald also shot 6 7 to reach 10-under 132, two in front of Ian Poulter and Webb Simpson. Poulter and Simpson each shot 68.
DeLaet was 1 over on his first seven holes of the second round until making a birdie on the difficult par-4 eighth hole and an eagle on No. 9, also a par 4 where he bounced his approach shot into the cup.
DeLaet had never finished better than 14th in six previous trips to Harbour Town and had only twice broken 70 in his past 10 rounds there before this week.
DeLaet said his top-15 finish a year ago — his best result at Harbour Town — fanned his passion for the place.
“And my love and enjoyment of playing thi s golf course turned into, ‘Maybe I could play well here,’” he said.
D e L a e t d r o p p e d h i s approach on the 461-yard eighth hole within 15 feet and made the putt. On the next hole, DeLaet sent a wedge shot from 109 yards out into the green, simply hoping to spin it back left toward the pin. Instead, the ball hopped in the cup, putting DeLaet out front.
“We couldn’t see the bottom of the pin, but there was reaction from the crowd so we figured it was in,” he said.
DeLaet, from Canada, has won four times worldwide but has never done better than three second places on the PGA Tour. DeLaet doesn’t plan to change his approach with a big weekend ahead.
“I’m looking forward to not getting up at 4:45 a.m. again like I did this morning,” he said with laugh.
Donald has finished second or third in six of his past eight visits to the RBC Heritage — and he put himself in position for another stellar finish. Donald made three straight birdies on the front nine. He held off a spate of wild drives after the turn — Donald drove way right on No. 10, played a provisional, found his first ball and made par — before chipping in for birdie on No. 18.
It was the second straight day Donald made birdie at the iconic lighthouse hole.
He has shot in the 60s in 21 of his 42 career rounds at Harbour Town. But he hasn’t won.
“I’ve been in this position before and I’ve got to go out there and be aggressive and make some birdies,” Donald said. “Certainly playing for pars won’t get it done out there.”
L P G A : L i g h t n i n g s u s - pended play early in the t hi rd ro und of t he L ot t e Championship at Kapolei, Hawaii. The second round, completed Friday after darkness stopped play Thursday, ended with Su-Yeon Jang having a one-shot lead at 10-under 134 after a pair of 67s. So Yeon Ru birdied two of her four holes before the delay Friday to join a group at 9 under.
Champions: Bob Tway shot 7-under 65 despite having three-putt bogeys on two of his final three holes and took a one-shot lead over David Frost after one round of the Mitsubishi Electric Classic at Duluth, Ga.
European Tour: Gregory Havret of France shot 3-under 70 for a 140 total and a one-shot lead over Lucas Bjerregaard (71) and Trevor Fisher Jr. (70) after two rounds of the Trophee Hassan II at Rabat, Morocco.