Four tied at Champions
Defending champion Steve Stricker birdied the final hole Friday for a 3-under 69 to move into a four-way tie for the lead halfway through the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Ala. Stricker joined Madison, Wis., neighbor Jerry Kelly, Monday qualifier Alex Cejka and first-round leader Darren Clarke atop the leaderboard in the first of the PGA Tour Champions’ five majors. Cejka, who made the field as the first alternate when Jay Haas withdrew, followed his opening 68 with a 69 at Greystone Golf & Country Club. Kelly had a 70 and Clarke shot 71 to get to 7 under. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 70 on Friday and stands at 1-under 143 at the halfway point. Glen Day (Little Rock) turned in a 74 on Friday and is at 1-over 145. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) carded a 76 on Friday and is at 11-over 155. Eagle finish for Tavatanakit
Patty Tavatanakit finished with an eagle to take a three-stroke lead over Atthaya Thitikul at the halfway stage of the LPGA Thailand on Friday. Tavatanakit moved to 16 under at Siam Country Club after a 12-foot putt on the par-5 18th for back-to-back 64s. Despite no spectators because of the pandemic, Tavatanakit and 18-year-old Thitikul are playing under high home expectations. A Thai has never won this U.S. LPGA Tour event. Ariya
Jutanugarn was second in 2013, and her sister Moriya Jutanugarn runner-up in 2018. Caroline Masson (66) is a stroke behind Thitikul in third. Lydia Ko (67), former University of Arkansas golfer Gaby Lopez (64) and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (68) are tied for fourth, five strokes behind Tavatanakit.
Smotherman fires 69 Austin Smotherman shot a 3-under 69 Friday and leads the Korn Ferry Tour’s Simmons Bank Open at the halfway point. Smotherman is 10-under 134 after two rounds in College Grove, Tenn., one shot in front of Stephan Jaeger (9-under 135). Taylor Moore (Razorbacks) shot an even-par 72 on Friday and is at 2-under 142. Nicolas Echavarria (Razorbacks) was good for a 69 on Friday and is at 1-under 143. Matt Atkins (Henderson State) finished at 2-over 146 and missed the cut.