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Zozo Championship: Rickie Fowler shares Zozo Championship lead as John Huh flirts with '59 round'

Fowler tied with Andrew Putnam on 10 under heading into the weekend in Japan; Keegan Bradley in third and Huh two behind after breaking course record with second-round 61; Watch live on Saturday from 3.30am on Sky Sports Golf

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Highlights from day two of the PGA Tour's Zozo Championship in Japan

Rickie Fowler bolstered his hopes of ending his 40-month winless run on the PGA Tour by moving into a share of the halfway lead at the Zozo Championship in Japan.

The five-time PGA Tour winner, playing on a sponsor's exemption, followed an opening-round 67 with a bogey-free 63 in a low-scoring second round at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club.

Fowler posted seven birdies on Friday to move to 10 under alongside Andrew Putnam, who set the initial clubhouse target after a blemish-free 62, with former PGA champion Keegan Bradley a shot off the pace after a second-round 65 on the par-70 layout.

Keegan Bradley watches his drive from the second tee during the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship golf tournament in Jackson, Miss., Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Image: Keegan Bradley is without a win since the 2018 BMW Championship

"I wasn't aware yet that I was bogey free," Fowler said after his round. "Felt like I did a good job of kind of just focusing, staying kind of present and trying to keep moving forward."

Fowler - beginning on the back nine - picked up a shot at the par-three 13th and made four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn, before making a close-range birdie at the par-three seventh and holing from 20 feet at the next to move tied for the lead.

Putnam birdied four of his first eight holes and four of his last six to card a eight-under 62, while Bradley birdied three of his final four holes to grab solo third ahead of compatriot John Huh.

Huh made a blistering start with five birdies in his first six holes, with another at the eighth seeing him reach the turn in 28, with the American starting his back nine with a birdie and taking advantage of the par-five 14th to move eight under for the day.

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LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 06: John Huh tees off on the ninth hole during the first round of the Shriners Children's Open on October 6, 2022, at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Matthew Bolt/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)
Image: John Huh carded nine birdies during his second round

Another birdie at the par-three 16th left him needing to play the last two holes in two under to card only the 12th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history, only for him to par the 17th and fail to find a bunker hole-out at the last on his way to a closing par.

"I knew if I made a couple more birdies it would have been nice, but I never really thought about a 59 in my head," Huh said. "Nine [birdies] is good enough I think for me."

Live PGA Tour Golf

Japan's Keita Nakajima holds fifth spot ahead of Matthew NeSmith and Sam Ryder, while Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland moved into a share of eighth place after rounds of 64 and 66 respectively.

Aaron Rai leads the English contingent and sits tied-24th following a second-round 66, while defending champion Hideki Matsuyama is ten off the halfway lead thanks to rounds of 71 and 69.

Watch the Zozo Championship throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Saturday from 3.30am on Sky Sports Golf.

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