Casey shares halfway lead in title defense

The Associated Press

PALM HARBOR, FLA.» Paul Casey drove into Innisbrook and saw his picture on posters and programs, just what he needed to forget the cut he missed last week.

He played Friday as though he wants those photos to stay there.

Casey holed a 30-foot eagle putt on the 599-yard fifth hole and made short birdie putts on the other three par 5s on his way to a 5-under 66, giving him a share of the lead with Austin Cook in the Valspar Championship.

No one has ever won back-to-back at the Valspar Championship since it became a PGA Tour event in 2000.

“I’ve never defended a professional event. I would love to do that,” Casey said. “Mentally last year I was hoping I would win, wanting to win. This year, knowing that I have won around here, I have a slightly different approach to it, and I played today quite aggressively and tried to take advantage of the golf course that I knew was going to get very, very tough this afternoon.”

Casey and Cook, who shot a 67, were at 6-under 136.

Luke Donald holed a bunker shot for birdie on the par-5 fifth to briefly take the lead, only to miss a 4-foot par putt on the next hole and drop another shot on the par-3 eighth.

He shot 70 and was one behind, along with Scott Stallings (68) and Sungjae Im (67).