American golfer Patrick Cantlay, number four in the PGA ranking, signed a card of 68 shots on Friday and will face the weekend as the sole leader of The American Express tournament in La Quinta (California).
Reigning FedEx Cup champion, Cantlay had finished Thursday’s first round level with rookie Lee Hodges, who fell to twelfth place this Friday with a 72-shot run.
With six birdies and two bogeys, Cantlay resisted on Friday at the top and now has a lead over his compatriot Tom Hoge and six over the Spaniard Jon Rahm.
The world number one had an irregular day in the Californian desert with a card of 70 strokes, including five birdies and three bogeys.
The first Latin American in the classification is Colombian Camilo Villegas, who is in 47th place, seven strokes behind the lead.
US PGA American Express standings after Friday’s second round (par 72):
130 – Patrick Cantlay (USA) 62-68
131 – Tom Hoge (USA) 65-66
132 – Will Zalatoris (USA) 71-61, Lanto Griffin (USA) 67-65, Greyson Sigg (USA) 65-67, Cameron Young (USA) 64-68, Joseph Bramlett (USA) 65-67
133 – Sam Ryder (USA) 65-68, Roger Sloan (CAN) 66-67, Zach Johnson (USA) 67-66, Paul Barjon (FRA) 66-67
134-Denny McCarthy (USA) 67-67, Harold Varner (USA) 68-66, Brandt Snedeker (USA) 65-69, Patton Kizzire (USA) 67-67, Lee Hodges (USA) 62-72, Vince Whaley ( USA) 70-64, Harry Higgs (USA) 66-68, Wyndham Clark (USA) 65-69, Seamus Power (IRL) 65-69, Sahith Theegala (USA) 72-62, Aaron Rai (ENG) 67-67 , Francesco Molinari (ITA) 67-67
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