Kang shoots 63 to break Houston 36-hole record

HUMBLE, Texas - Sung Kang shot a 9-under 63 to take a six-shot lead in a record-breaking second round at the Houston Open on Friday.

After shooting a 65 on Thursday, Kang was at 16-under 128 through two rounds, setting the 36-hole tournament record of 129 by a stroke, set previously by Blaine McCallister in 1993 and Curtis Strange in 1980.

The 29-year-old South Korean, who entered the week ranked No. 202 in the world, bested the tournament course record at the Golf Club of Houston by three strokes, topping Johnson Wagner’s 132 in 2008. Strange and Wagner went on to win those respective tournaments, while McCallister settled for a thirdplace finish.

Kang’s 9-under on Friday matched the 18-hole tournament course record and helped him take the largest 36-hole lead in tournament history, topping the previous record by two strokes.

Hudson Swafford and Russell Henley were at 10-under after both shooting 5under 67. Rickie Fowler, the leader after one round, slipped to fourth at 9-under after he followed Thursday’s 8-under 64 with a 71.

Kang found an edge with red-hot putting. He sank six puts of at least 20 feet — a tournament course record since the stat began being recorded in 1983. It was a dramatic turn of events for a golfer who entered the week ranked No. 156 in putting and switched to a new putter earlier this week.

Kang said someone has been urging him to use a certain putter for months, even saying, “If you want to succeed, you use that.” He gave it a spin for the first time on Monday and hasn’t looked back.

“I putted pretty good (Thursday), but putted really good today,” Kang said. “The putter just kept making the putts and happened and happened and happened. It was a fun day.”

Kang used the word “rare” to describe the putting clinic he put on. He said he told his caddie that he wanted to play 10 more holes after he was finished on Friday, not wanting to let his momentum rest. He is among the 115 players who need a victory to qualify for Augusta National, as Jim Herman did by winning in Houston last year. Among the 144 players in the Houston Open field, 29 already have invitations to play.

Kang insisted that playing in the Masters hasn’t crossed his mind.

“It’s not in my head,” Kang said. “Whatever happens, happens.”

Zac Blair and Aaron Baddeley trail Kang by eight strokes at 8-under 136 through two rounds.

The field boasted five of the world’s top 12-ranked golfers, but only one of them — Fowler — made the cut to continue playing on Saturday. No. 5 Henrik Stenson shot a 5-over, No. 6 Jordan Spieth finished 2-over, No. 7 Adam Scott had a 1-over and Patrick Reed shot a 2over to add two extra days to their Masters preparations.

Phil Mickelson rallied late to shoot par for a second straight day to make the cut, something he said was important to him ahead of Augusta.

“I fought hard in the end to get to the weekend because I felt, to get sharp for next week, I need to play a better round,” Mickelson said.

LPGA Tour

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. - Norway’s Suzann Pettersen finished her wind-delayed first round with a 4-under 68 and added a second-round 69 Friday at the ANA Inspiration, taking a one-shot lead over six players after two shortened days at the first major of the year.

After an early end to Thursday’s play and a late start on Friday for cleanup from the windstorm, play was halted by darkness with 56 players still on the course. They will complete their second round Saturday morning.

Rookie Nelly Korda shot a pair of 69s to climb onto the leaderboard, sitting one shot behind Pettersen in her first major as a professional. The 18-year-old Norda’s big sister, 24-year-old Jessica, is in the hunt at 3-under 141.

Champions Tour

BILOXI, Miss. - Joe Durant shot a 6under 66 for a one-shot lead after the first round of the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic on Friday.

Durant made four birdies on the back nine in warm and sunny conditions to finish just ahead of defending tournament champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, Scott Hoch, Lee Janzen and Jay Haas, who are all tied for second after shooting a 67.

Durant’s impressive first round continues a solid start to his PGA Champions Tour season. He’s finished in the top 10 in two of four events, including a sixthplace finish at the Allianz Championship in February.