Publications
Partners
Miami - Canadian rookie Mackenzie Hughes took a two-shot
lead at the US PGA Tour's RSM Classic in Georgia on Friday after following up
his spectacular opening round with a five-under-par 67.
Hughes, playing in only his ninth event on the tour, had lit
up the first round with a superb 61 on Sea Island's par-70 Seaside Course to
start the day one stroke clear of the field.
The 25-year-old swapped to the par-72 Plantation Course on
Friday and was quickly back in the groove, hitting three birdies over the front
nine before adding two more after the turn.
Hughes stands at 14 under after 36 holes heading into the
weekend, two clear of Taiwan's Pan Cheng-Tsung, another rookie, who shot a 64
on the Seaside Course to back up his opening round of 66.
"Today was definitely a little more work," a
satisfied Hughes said after his round.
That is "no slouch of a score and I would take two more
of those in a heartbeat," he added.
Both Hughes and Pan are rookies on the US PGA Tour after
playing on the Web.com Tour.
Pan is looking forward to duelling with Hughes over the
weekend.
"It should be fun," Pan said. "It's exciting
to see both of us play well out there because it's a dream come true for both
of us."
Four players - Hudson Swafford, Blayne Barber, Chad
Campbell and Chesson Hadley - were tied for third on 11 under.
Jonathan Byrd, who finished the opening round with a 62 on
the Seaside Course, carded a two-under-par 70 to remain in the hunt at 10 under
along with nine other players, including Billy Horschel and Japan's Hiroshi
Iwata.
Behind that pack were a cluster of nine players tied for
17th including Jim Furyk and 2009 British Open champion Stewart Cink on nine
under.
With benign conditions perfect for low scoring, the cut came at a five-under-par, leaving the likes of Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson, Ernie Els, Davis Love III and Vijay Singh all out of the weekend action.
Leading scores after second round of the US PGA Tour's RSM Classic on Friday with the first two rounds played over the par-72 Plantation and par-70 Seaside courses (USA unless noted):
128 - Mackenzie Hughes (CAN) 61-67
130 - Pan Cheng-Tsung (TPE) 66-64
131 - Hudson Swafford 64-67, Blayne Barber 63-68, Chad Campbell 66-65, Chesson Hadley 65-66
132 - Jonathan Byrd 62-70, Jason Kokrak 67-65, Noh Seung-Yul (KOR) 66-66, Billy Horschel 66-66, Kyle Stanley 65-67, Russell Henley 67-65, Charles Howell III 67-65, Bryce Molder 67-65, Josh Teater 66-66, Hiroshi Iwata (JPN) 65-67
133 - Jamie Lovemark 67-66, Camilo Villegas (COL) 66-67, Lucas Glover 66-67, Jim Furyk 64-69, J.J. Spaun 68-65, Tyler Aldridge 66-67, Kelly Kraft 67-66, Luke List 69-64, Stewart Cink 62-71
