Laird Leads Frys.com Open


Martin Laird carded his second straight 5-under 67 to take the 36-hole lead at the Frys.com Open. The $6 million event - the PGA Tour's 2014-15 season opener - began Thursday at Silverado Country Club's North Course in Napa, Calif.

The 31-year-old from Glasgow posted six birdies and a bogey for a one-stroke lead over Korean Sang-Moon Bae and rookie Zachary Blair, who shot 69 and 66, respectively.

Laird, a three-time Tour winner whose most recent title came last year in the Valero Texas Open, told reporters later that, despite duplicating his score on Thursday, things played out a bit differently on Friday.

"A little different today," he said. "I didn't drive the ball as well today, but I putted really well. (Thursday) I putted nicely, didn't feel like I made a lot, but today I felt like I kind of rolled in a few, two or three bonus putts from 30 feet or so. But generally, again, solid round, I think only one bogey, so obviously very happy to follow up my first round with another one this morning."

Bae, the winner of last year's Byron Nelson Championship, is also pleased with his game heading into Saturday. "I'm looking forward to playing the next two days, and I have a really, really good feel, and good iron shots, too," said the 28-year-old. "So I will do my best the next two days."

Only two behind the leader heading into the weekend are Americans Scott Langley (66) and Mark Hubbard (65), and Sweden's David Langmerth, who recorded another 68. Japan's Hideki Matsuyama carded a 67 and is alone in seventh at 137.

Trailing by four is a quartet of Americans - Brooks Koepka (70), Tom Gillis (68), Hunter Mahan (68) and Cameron Tringale (69).

Bae started the second round tied for the lead with Andres Gonzales. But Gonzales, a Olympia, Wash., native who started the second round on the 10th tee, had a tough time getting out of the gate, recording six pars before double-bogeying the par-5 16th hole to make the turn in 2-over 38.

On the home half, Gonzales, a colorful 31-year-old who earned a spot on this year's PGA Tour after graduating from the Web.com Tour, came home with a birdie and a bogey to drop to 22nd with 12 other players.

Defending champion Jimmy Walker, who leveraged his victory in the 2013 Frys.com Open to two more wins last season and a spot on the 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup team, rebounded from an opening 75 with a 66 and easily made the 36-hole cut of 1-under 143.

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