Hurley Goes Two Up at CIMB Classic


Billy Hurley III fired his second straight 5-under 67 to take the halfway lead in the CIMB Classic. The $7 million PGA Tour event got underway Thursday at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in Malaysia.

The 32-year-old Virginian, who's seeking his first Tour title, began play on the 10th tee. Hurley reeled off six birdies on his front nine to make the turn in 6-under 30.

On his back side, however, the U.S. Naval Academy graduate who served in the Persian Gulf retreated a bit, carding a double-bogey with a lost ball and two-stroke penalty on his 11th hole (the second) before another birdie on the par-4 seventh (his 16th of the day) for a 37 coming home.

Hurley's 10-under total of 134 is two strokes lower than fellow American Kevin Streelman, who's posted a pair of 68s.

"I played nicely to start," said Hurley of his opening nine holes. "That's what I consider to be maybe the toughest stretch; kind of 11 through 13 are kind of the hardest holes out here, and I birdied 11 and birdied 13, so it was kind of a nice way to start. And I had a birdie at 10 to start, so I was 3 under early, and then just hit a couple of wedges close on 16, 17 and 18 and was able to make a couple of 10, 12 footers to like three feet and maybe a couple of 12 footers."

Hurley knows it's a long way to go before he can secure his maiden victory. "There's 36 holes of golf left. You know, a two shot lead is better than a one shot lead, but it's not quite as good as a four shot lead. You always want to have more. That's the funny thing about golf is you feel like you always could have played better. My wife actually hates me for that, or she hates golf for that. I'm like, ah, I could have always been one better, and she tells me, I don't want to hear about that.

"But we got, like I said, two more rounds and it'll just be another if I can keep hitting it in the fairway and keep putting it like I have and hitting a lot of good putts, then I think I'll be right there on Sunday."

Seven players share third at 7-under. The group includes South Korea's Seung-Yul Noh (69), Spain's Sergio Garcia (68), England's Lee Westwood (65), and Americans Jeff Overton (69), Kevin Chappell (68), Ryan Moore (69) and Kevin Na (86). Moore is the tournament's defending champion.

Moore feels like his previous success at the Kuala Lumpur course is a big boost this week. "Well, it always helps," said the Tacoma, Wash., native. "Winning and being comfortable and familiar with a golf course definitely makes a difference. You know, in the end you just gotta go play better than everybody else, though, and that's how it works."

Westwood had the shot of the day en route to posting Friday's low score of 7-under. In addition to five birdies, the 41-year-old aced the 226-yard, par-3 11th when his tee ball landed short and right of the hole and rolled into the cup.

"You need a bit of luck, but at the same time you have to hit it straight - it happens now and then," Westwood said of his 15th hole-in-one as a professional. He was equally pleased with his score. "A 65 has got me right into the tournament."

After opening with a 65, 18-hole leader Rikard Karlberg slipped down the leaderboard into a tie for 24th at 3-under following a second-round 76.

There is no cut in the tournament, which began with 78 players. Canada's Graham DeLaet pulled out before the start of the event due to back pain, a problem that also forced the Saskatchewan native to withdraw from the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas two weeks ago.

For all the scores in the CIMB Classic, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.