* Dufner takes control with strong finish
* Leads by one shot going into third round
(Updates at end of round)
May 18 (Reuters) – American Jason Dufner birdied four of his
last five holes to go a stroke clear of a congested leaderboard
in Friday’s second round of the Byron Nelson Championship in
Irving, Texas.
Three weeks after clinching his maiden PGA Tour victory at
the New Orleans Classic, Dufner fired a four-under-par 66 in the
toughest conditions of the day to post a seven-under total of
133.
The laid-back American with the distinctive pre-shot waggle
birdied 14, 15, 16 and 18 to finish ahead of compatriots Matt
Kuchar (68), Chad Campbell (66), Ryan Palmer (70), Pat Perez
(67) and Dicky Pride (68), plus Australian Marc Leishman (69).
Defending champion Keegan Bradley (68), fellow American
Charley Hoffman (69) and Japan’s Ryuji Imada (68) were a further
stroke back at five under.
Dufner was delighted to take control of the tournament after
playing in the afternoon when the gusting winds were at their
strongest.
“The wind picked up a good bit … so made it premium on
putting the ball in the fairway so you could be more aggressive
into the greens,” the 35-year-old told reporters after mixing
seven birdies with three bogeys.
“It was a nice way to finish, and I’m looking forward to the
weekend. I’ve played pretty solid … not as clean as I would
like today because of the conditions but I was able to grind it
out and got fortunate there on the last couple of holes.”
Dufner, who twice chipped in for birdie during the second
round, plans to make the most of his triumphant experience in
New Orleans as he bids for a second PGA Tour victory.
GOOD FEELINGS
“I feel good about my game,” he said. “Usually when you’re
feeling good you’re going to go into the weekend leading or
close to the lead, and I’ve been fortunate to be in that
position.
“I closed out one a couple of weeks ago … hopefully the
experience that I had in New Orleans will build for me and I
will have confidence going into the weekend.”
World number five Kuchar, who won his fourth PGA Tour title
at the elite Players Championship on Sunday, was delighted to
claw his way back into contention after dropping three shots in
his first six holes.
“I got going on the wrong side of things,” the 33-year-old
said after ending the day with six birdies, two bogeys and a
double-bogey at the par-four 14th.
“A bogey on 12, that was a hard hole, and on 14 where the
tee is up, it shouldn’t be that hard. I made a double-bogey
there, and it was going the wrong way.
“Glad to bounce back. At 16, the par-five, I took advantage
of that so I’m pleased with the way I was able to hang in
there.”
American world number 10 Phil Mickelson and former world
number one Ernie Els of South Africa each carded 69s to end the
day six strokes off the pace.
The cut fell at two-over-par 142 with former major winners
Louis Oosthuizen, Justin Leonard and Yang Yong-eun, and
Australian world number 13 Adam Scott, among those failing to
advance.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by
Frank Pingue/Peter Rutherford)
