PGA Tour: Danny Willett, Max Homa share halfway lead at Fortinet Championship in California
Danny Willett and Max Homa sit on 12 under at the halfway stage, with Justin Lower and Byeong Hun An sharing third place; England's Ben Taylor six back - watch the Fortinet Championship live on Saturday from 11pm on Sky Sports Golf
Saturday 17 September 2022 07:33, UK
Danny Willett fired a round-of-the-day 64 to jump into a share of the halfway lead at the PGA Tour's season-opening Fortinet Championship in California.
The eight-time DP World Tour winner, whose only victory in America came via a maiden major title at the 2016 Masters, carded eight birdies in a blemish-free second round at Silverado Resort and Spa to move to 12 under alongside defending champion Max Homa.
Willett holed from 25 feet at the par-three second and posted three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the sixth to reach the turn in 32, with the Englishman picking up shots at the 13th and 14th before finishing his impressive round with back-to-back birdies.
"The rough is hit and miss and with the greens being firm as they are, to go bogey free is really good," Willett said. "Kind of a sign of where we're at in terms of playability and where things are. A good two days' work, but there's still a lot of golf left."
Homa, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour last season and a captain's pick for the Presidents Cup next week, had an eagle and four birdies - including one from 40 feet - in his second-round 67, with his only bogey coming when he three-putted the par-three second.
"The course fits my eyes," Homa said. "I hit a lot of wedges today and I've been hitting the wedges really well, so when I get a lot of wedges from fairways like these, I feel like I can attack the pins."
The pair head into the weekend with a two-stroke cushion over first-round leader Justin Lower and South Korea's Byeong Hun An in tied-third, while Matt Kuchar is four off the pace in tied-fifth with Taylor Moore and Sahith Theegala.
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England's Ben Taylor is tied for 11th place following back-to-back 69s over the first two days, with PGA Tour rookie Thomas Detry of Belgium in the group on five under which also contains Rickie Fowler.
Hideki Matsuyama - among the International Team for next week's Presidents Cup - is tied-42nd following a level-par 72, while team-mates Cam Davis and Corey Conners missed the cut.
Watch the Fortinet Championship throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Saturday from 11pm on Sky Sports Golf.
