Honda Classic: Kirk is in high gear
He shoots 8-under 62, is 1 shot behind
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — There have been about 7,200 rounds played at the Honda Classic since it moved to PGA National 17 years ago.
Only two of those were better than the one turned in Friday by Chris Kirk.
Kirk shot an 8-under 62 in the second round, moving him to 9 under for the week and one shot behind Justin Suh (64) at the tournament’s midway point. Kirk had an eagle and six birdies, hitting 16 greens and taking advantage of no wind blowing in the morning — very rare for PGA National.
“Usually we’re playing for 15-, 20-plus yards of hurt going into the wind shots, and 15, 20 yards of help on downwind shots,” Kirk said. “It’s really difficult to get those just right when it’s really windy. But today there was hardly a breath most of the round, and so it became a little bit more target practice.”
Suh had four consecutive birdies on holes 8 through 11, rolling in putts from 5, 15, 25 and 30 feet in that span, to post a 36-hole total of 10-under 130.
There was no shortage of players taking dead aim. Ryan Gerard (63) and Ben Taylor (65) were tied for third at 8 under. Ben Martin (64), Eric Cole (66) and Brice Garnett (64) were all another shot back.
Gerard was a Monday qualifier. This is only his second PGA Tour event as a pro, and his first made cut.
Two players on the cut line couldn’t finish the final hole of their second rounds because of darkness. Brett Drewitt had 112 yards remaining after two shots on the par-5 18th; Pierceson Coody did not play the par-4 9th. Par or better will get them both to the weekend; bogey or worse will keep them from making the cut. They were scheduled to resume their rounds Saturday.
The only sub-62 rounds at the Honda since it moved to PGA National came from Brian Harman (2012) and Matt Jones (2021)..
LIV: In Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, Paul Casey birdied his last three holes for a 6-under 65 and a share of the lead with Jason Kokrak as the second season of Saudi-funded LIV Golf began at Mayakoba.
Casey was 5 under through 10 holes before he lost ground with a double bogey on the par4 second hole. He responded with three birdies to close out his round on the El Camaleon course at the resort south of Cancun.
Kokrak played bogey-free, chipping in for one birdie and holing a couple of lengthy putts.
They were two shots clear of Peter Uihlein, Talor Gooch and Carlos Ortiz, one of two Mexican players who are part of the 48-man LIV roster.
Mayakoba previously hosted a PGA Tour event in the fall from 2007 until November, when the resort moved over to LIV Golf.
LPGA: In Pattaya, Thailand, Natthakritta Vongtaveelap finished strongly with six birdies on the back nine to take a oneshot lead over Maja Stark after a 7-under 65 in the second round at the LPGA Thailand.
Former New Mexico Lobo Jodi Ewart Shadoff shot 66 Friday and is three shots off the lead.