Play it again, Sam
Burns shoots another low score to match Riviera record
LOS ANGELES: Sam Burns matched the 36-hole course record at the Riviera to seize a five-stroke lead at the US PGA Genesis Invitational.
Burns followed his opening seven-under 64 with a 66 on Friday as the 24-year-old seeks his first career PGA Tour victory at one of the Tour’s most iconic venues.
The 24-year-old American threatened to run away from a star-studded field with a bogey-free round to stand on 12-under 130 at the halfway mark.
“I was hitting it good and I had some good looks and I was able to convert them,” Burns said.
“Just had patience out there. I didn’t try to force anything. Whenever we were in a tricky spot, just took what the golf course gave us.”
World number one Dustin Johnson, the reigning Masters champion, shot 67 to share second on 135 with fellow Americans Tyler McCumber and Jason Kokrak and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann.
Three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth was on 136 with fellow Americans Max Homa and Wyndham Clark.
Riviera’s 36-hole record 130 was set first by American Davis Love III in 1992 and matched earlier by Canada’s Mike Weir and Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama in 2004.
Burns began on the back nine with a birdie at the 10th, dropping his approach inside five feet from the cup. He birdied the 12th from just outside five feet and rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-five 17th.
At the par-five first, he two-putted from 32 feet for birdie and sank a six-foot birdie putt at the par-three sixth. Burns made his longest par save at his penultimate hole from just inside 10 feet.
“The save right there on eight, my 17th hole, was big momentum for us,” Burns said as the weekend loomed with star rivals in pursuit.
“I’d like to think that I have all the tools to win out here. There are a lot of really good players. I try not to get caught up in that and just try to get better each week.”
Rory McIlroy missed the cut for the first time in 26 starts since last failing to reach the weekend at the 2019 British Open at Royal Portrush. Seventh-ranked McIlroy shot 76 to finish on 149.