Lovemark, Vegas lead
Jamie Lovemark and Jhonattan Vegas shared the Zurich Classic lead at 11 under Friday when second-round play was suspended because of darkness. Lovemark had a 27-hole day at hot and humid TPC Louisiana at Avondale, La., completing a 5-under 67 in the first round and adding a 66 in the second in the event that fell behind schedule Thursday with a long rain delay. Vegas, from Venezuela, shot 64-69. He played 31 holes. None of the players in the afternoon wave finished the round. Brian Stuard, the overnight leader after a 64 on Thursday, was 10 under with six holes left. Top-ranked Jason Day was 5 under with eight holes left. Bryce Molder (Conway) was 3 under through 8 holes. Jordan Payne (West Memphis) was 4 over through 5. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot a 3-over 75 (2-under 142). Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) had an evenpar 72 (4-over 148). Matt Mabrey (Little Rock) shot a 1-under 71 (2over 146).
Bhavik Patel was alone again at the top of the leaderboard Friday at the Web.com Tour’s United Leasing & Finance Championship at Newburgh, Ind. Patel shot a 3-under 69 for a two-round total of 10-under 134. He’s two strokes ahead of Brandon Hagy, who had a 68 on Friday, and is 4 shots ahead of Sebastian Vazquez (63), who is alone in third place. Scott Gardiner (Farmington) had a 69 (141) and is tied for 13th. Sebastian Cappelen (Arkansas Razorbacks) also shot a 69 (142) and is tied for 17th. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Razorbacks), Zack Fischer (Little Rock), Matt Atkins (Henderson State) and Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) did not make the cut.
Gerina Piller made herself right at home Friday in the LPGA Tour’s Texas Shootout at Irving, Texas, shooting a 6-under 65 to take the lead in the suspended second round. She birdied three of the final five holes in her bogey-free round to reach 10-under 132. Play was suspended because of rain just after 4 p.m. and called for the day because of lighting a little after 6 p.m. None of the afternoon starters were able to finish. The field will be cut to the low 70s and ties after the completion of the round this morning, then trimmed again to the low 50s and ties after the third round. South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji was a stroke back at 9 under after a 66. First-round leader Mi Jung Hur was 8 under with six holes left. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) was even through 15
holes. Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) was 1 under through 11 holes.
Felipe Aguilar of Chile shot a 7-under 65 in the second round of the China Open to take a one-stroke lead before play was suspended because of a thunderstorm Friday. Aguilar, seeking his first European Tour victory in two years, fired seven birdies to be 11 under overall, one stroke ahead of Alex Noren of Sweden and Bernd Wiesberger of Austria. Noren has carded 67-67, while Wiesberger stayed in contention with a 69. South Korean Kim Taehoon recorded the second holein-one at the tournament on the par3 13th,, which he birdied in the first round. His 64 tied him for fourth at 10 under along with Tyrrell Hatton of England (67) and Dane Bjerregaard of Denmark (67). Hennie Otto of South Africa, the overnight leader at 9 under, was playing to par on Friday with four holes to go.