Kuchar sinks eight birdies to take lead in Mexico

MEXICO CITY: Matt Kuchar sank eight birdies in a second round 64 to take a two-stroke lead over fellow American Cameron Champ at the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico on Friday.

It was the second consecutive day that Kuchar shot seven under par at the El Camalean in Playa del Carmen after his bogey-free opening round. The seven-times PGA Tour winner’s most impressive shot of the day came on the par-four 12th, where he sank a 19-foot putt to limit the damage to a bogey, his only one of the day.

Champ was sensational in just his third career PGA Tour start on Friday, mixing eight birdies and an eagle with one bogey for a round of nine-under par 62 that gave him the outright lead before Kuchar overtook him later in the day.

The big-hitting 23-year-old, who is coming off his first PGA Tour win at last month’s Sanderson Farms Championship, said he is feeling more comfortable on the course, which has allowed him to get into a groove on Friday. “I forgot what par was, to be honest,” he said.

“I was just flowing, I just kind of felt in the zone, really. I was just trying to execute each shot at a time.” The tournament will go into the weekend with slightly less drawing power after three-time major champion Jordan Spieth failed to make the cut after rounds of 71 and 69.

But Masters runner-up and world number nine Rickie Fowler is still in the hunt after shooting a three-under par 68 on Friday to go into the weekend tied for 20th with 13 other players. — Reuters