After the first round was suspended due to darkness, Justin Harding came back Friday morning to play the par-5 18th hole last. He would make birdie and end the first round in a tie for the 18-hole lead. The South African would build on that throughout his Friday round.
Harding signed for four birdies, two bogeys, and a 183-yard hole-out eagle on the sixth for a second day 4-under 68.
“I rolled the ball pretty good and, for the most part, kept bogeys off the card. Hit the fairway on the longer, tougher par fours,” he said of his second-round effort. “Ultimately just grinding. It was a grind of a day today, to be fair, just a bonus there on six.”
Harding has been in contention at this event over the last few seasons and hopes to capitalize on his good play thus far.
Tyrrell Hatton charged up the leaderboard with a second-round 6-under 66. The Englishman, after opening with a bogey, drew four-straight circles on the card on Nos. 2-5. He’d add three more birdies on his back nine and now sits two back in solo second.
“I didn’t get off to a great start with a bogey on the first hole but battled back from there and played a lot of good golf today and hope that can continue into the weekend,” Hatton said of his day. “I gave myself plenty of opportunities most of the day and putted lovely. Holed a couple of good par putts when I needed to and momentum was on my side today.”
After an up-and-down opening round, Rory McIlroy fired a bogey-free 6-under 66 on Friday highlighted by a chip-in eagle on the 13th.
“I certainly hit the ball as good as I’ve done in a long time and it could have been a few better but 66 this afternoon is a good score and sets me up for a nice weekend,” the Northern-Irishman said of his day.
McIlroy has won this event twice and is in prime position to jockey for a third.
Other notable names and where they stand:
Viktor Hovland (T-5, 7 under)
Tommy Fleetwood (T-10, 6 under)
Sergio Garcia (T-25, 3 under)
Collin Morikawa (T-25, 3 under)
Adam Scott (T-25, 3 under)