J.B. leads Phx Open by 1 shot

SCOTTSDALE — J.B. Holmes roared through the fan-packed closing stretch at TPC Scottsdale on his opening nine Friday, then grabbed the lead on the mellower side of golf’s biggest party. Six months after a final-round collapse and slow-play controversy at the British Open, Holmes took a one-stroke lead into the weekend at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He shot a 6-under 65, a day after making a hole-in-one in an opening 64.

“There’s going to be a lot of people. It’s going to be really loud,” Holmes said. “Just keep doing what I’ve been doing, hopefully, keep making putts and not change the strategy. It’s worked pretty good so far.”

In July at Royal Portrush, Holmes had a share of the second-round lead with winner Shane Lowry, then shot 69-87 to tie for 67th. The setback spoiled an otherwise successful season highlighted by an early victory at Riviera.

The 37-year-old from Kentucky got away from the game during the offseason, playing only two rounds in four months leading into the new year. He shook off the rust at Kapalua and got back in form last week at Torrey Pines with a tie for 16th.

Holmes played a fivehole stretch on his first nine in 5 under with birdies on the par-5 13th and 15th and par-3 16th, and an eagle on the short par-4 17th. He made a 16-footer from the back fringe on the stadium 16th, then drove to 6 1/2 to set up the eagle on the 319-yard 17th.

“I was just worried about it maybe going too far left,” Holmes said. “But when I hit it, I thought I hit it about right and hopefully it would hit into that bank or bounce just up and it did.”

He bogeyed the par4 18th and took the lead from Wyndham Clark with birdies on the par-4 first and par-5 third. Holmes chipped in for birdie on the par-4 sixth and gave back the stroke on the par4 ninth after hitting into a greenside bunker.

“Hit it really good in the middle of the round,” Holmes said. “Didn’t hit it quite as good toward the end, but putted really well and was able to make some birdies.”

Holmes won at TPC Scottsdale in 2006 and 2008