Stuard Sets Pace in Sony Open


Brian Stuard carded his second straight 65 to take a one-stoke lead in the Sony Open. The second and final leg of the PGA Tour's Hawaiian swing, with a purse of $5.6 million, began Thursday at Waialea Country Club in Honolulu.

Stuard, a 31-year-old Michigan native who's yet to win on tour, has experienced an up-and-down first two days in Hawaii. After eight birdies and three bogeys in his first 5-under round, Stuard was a bit steadier Friday with an eagle, four birdies and a bogey, reaching 10-under 130 for a one-stroke lead over Australia's Marc Leishman, who matched the low second round of 64, and crowd favorite, Japan's Hideto Tanihara, who's done well so far with a 66 and 65.

Right behind at 132 is Harris English (66), while Jason Kokrak (67), Jimmy Walker (67), Aussie Adam Scott (66), Chris Kirk (69) and Chris Stroud (65) are at 133. Also at that number is South Korea's Sang-Moon Bae, who followed up his tournament-leading 63 with an even-par 70 to drop three strokes behind Stuard.

Several veterans - and a rookie - jumped into the mix Friday. The knot is made up of Jerry Kelly and Boo Weekley (four 67s between them), Aussie Greg Chalmers (69, 66), Matt Every (69, 65), 12-time Tour winner Justin Leonard (68, 66), and 26-year-old Hudson Swafford, a rookie who has missed three of his past four cuts in this young season. Swafford had a fine six-birdie 64 Friday though, helping negate a five-bogey, five-birdie start Thursday to move forward.

James Hahn, with rounds of 67 and 68, is having a good time so far. So is Zach Johnson. The Iowan, coming off an impressive win last week in the Tournament of Champions in Maui, has forged on with scores of 68 and 67 for a tie of 11th at 135 with Hahn, Ryan Palmer, Will Wilcox, Pat Perez, Brian Harman, Retief Goosen and Jason Dufner.

Stuard, who started play on the 10th tee, closed with an eagle on the par-5 last. It was Stuard's seventh straight round in the 60s at Waialae dating back to his first trip in 2010. "I think it's something to do with the greens," the Oakland (Mich.) University grad mused. "I feel comfortable on the greens. I feel like I read them pretty well and I'm able to make putts."

Leishman also made eagle on the ninth, but that was in the middle of his round. And it was part of a three-hole stretch he went in 4-under, propelling his 64 going into the weekend.

"(Eagles are) the sort of things that really turn an average round into a good one, or a good one into a great one," said the 30-year-old from Victoria, who broke his maiden last June at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. "It was nice to shoot 6-under and get myself right in it."

The weekend cut was set at 1-under 139. Easily qualifying was Zach Johnson. The 37-year-old Iowan, who won the tour's formerly "traditional" season opener in last week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Maui, has shot 68 and 67 to remain in the mix in Oahu. Johnson will be trying to become the first player since Ernie Els in 2003 to sweep the Hawaii swing.

Defending champion Russell Henley stayed in the hunt. The 24-year-old Georgian rebounded from an opening 73 with a stellar six-birdie, one-bogey 65 to make the cut by four.

Two-time major winner John Daly got off to a good start with a 66 but shot 73 Friday, making the cut right on the number.

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