DeChambeau fires 64 to seize World Challenge lead
DeChambeau fired an eight-under par 64 to seize a one-stroke lead in the 22nd Hero World Challenge.
MIAMI (AFP) - Bryson DeChambeau fired an eight-under par 64 to seize a one-stroke lead over a trio of US compatriots after Friday s second round of the 22nd Hero World Challenge.
DeChambeau, last year s US Open champion, made 10 birdies and a double bogey to stand on 11-under 133 after 36 holes in the 20-man invitational hosted by Tiger Woods at the Albany resort in the Bahamas.
Second-ranked Collin Morikawa, 13th-ranked Tony Finau and world number 16 Brooks Koepka shared second on 134 with American Daniel Berger another stroke adrift.
World number seven DeChambeau opened with a birdie, added back-to-back birdies at the par-5 sixth and par-4 seventh, then reeled off runs of three birdies in a row starting at the par-5 ninth and again at the par-4 13th.
DeChambeau, however, found waste area bushes left of the fairway at the par-4 16th and took a double bogey.
"Just keep playing golf. Nothing more," DeChambeau said of his thoughts after the setback. "Frustrated obviously but nothing I could do. I pulled the drive. It went into a bush. Had to move on."
The 28-year-old American, whose only 2021 title came at Bay Hill in March, birdied the par-3 17th and closed with a par.
Told he might be paired with rival Brooks Koepka on Saturday, DeChambeau only replied, "Sweet." Four-time major winner Koepka beat DeChambeau 4&3 in a 12-hole match-play event last week in Las Vegas.
But it was not to be as Koepka couldn t match him for the lead.
Koepka birdied the par-5 third and par-4 fourth and added another at the seventh before taking a bogey at the par-3 eighth. He began the back nine with a birdie and added birdies at 14 and the par-5 15th on his way to a 67.
"Very pleased with how I m playing," Koepka said. "I just need to keep doing that."
Asked about a possible Sunday pairing with DeChambeau, Koepka said, "I ve already proved everything last week so I m good."
Morikawa, who will play alongside DeChambeau in Saturday s final duo, would overtake Spain s Jon Rahm for world number one with a victory.
"It s a huge bonus but I ve got to focus on the win," Morikawa said. "I ve put myself in a good position after the first two days but I ve got to keep the focus up and make a couple more birdies."
Morikawa, who got engaged earlier in the week, opened and closed the front nine with birdies with another at the fouth in between.
He followed a birdie at the par-5 11th with a bogey at 12 but then birdied 13 and 14 and eagled the par-5 15th to reach 11-under.
But at 18, Morikawa s tee shot landed behind a small bush right of the fairway and he closed with a bogey to shoot 66 and fall from a share of the lead.
"When I put myself in the fairway, I was making the birdies," Morikawa said. "It was kind of an up-and-down day."
Finau birdied the par-5 third and sixth as well as seven but began the back nine with a bogey. He answered with birdies at the par-3 12th plus 14 and 15 and closed with the first birdie of the week at the 18th.
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, a co-leader after shooting 66 on Thursday, fired a 71 on Friday to stand four off the pace. He opened and closed the front nine with bogeys, added another at 18 and made double bogey at 14 after rolling a putt off the green.
