Walker shares lead in Texas

30 May 2015 07:16

Jimmy Walker made the most of the twilight to take a share of the lead at the weather-affected AT&T Byron Nelson in Texas.

Walker carded a 66 on day two to join overnight leader Steven Bowditch and Jon Curran at the top of the leaderboard on nine under but 33 players were left to resume their second rounds on Saturday after the weather had delayed Friday's start.

Conditions were so bad on the 14th fairway that that part of the hole was deemed unplayable and it was reduced from a 406-yard par four to a 104-yard par three.

Slugger White, PGA TOUR vice president of rules and competitions, said: "The 14th fairway is unplayable where we drive the ball. We had no place to go. We'd be losing balls and the conditions rendered the hole unplayable.

"That's the reason we made the decision to go down there to avoid that. We're playing (the 14th hole) at about 100 yards as a par three."

Walker had eight pars on the front nine as he picked up a single shot on the seventh but his round came to life after the turn as four birdies and two bogeys from the 11th to the 16th saw him move to the top of the leaderboard.

Bowditch recorded just five pars all day as he followed up Thursday's stunning 62 with a 68 which included seven birdies and six bogeys.

Curran has had an up-and-down rookie season on Tour, missing nine cuts in 18 events, but after eight birdies and two bogeys for a 63 on Friday, things were looking up.

"There's definitely some low spots throughout the year," Curran told www.pgatour.com.

"The cuts I've missed have only been like by one shot or two. Just here or there I could have made a putt or two, or gotten up and down. Something kind of stupid looking back on it.

"It's good to get it all together in a couple of days."

Cameron Percy and Ryan Palmer were both a shot off the lead while Nick Watney, Jerry Kelly, Jonathan Randolph and Hunter Mahan were seven under having finished their rounds with Tony Finau on the same score through 16.

Masters champion Jordan Spieth was in the group at six under after finishing with three birdies for a 64 and the leaders will be looking over their shoulders for the world number two.

"At least I got it to where I have a chance to make some noise," he said. "Going to need a round like today the next two days, I think, in order to be able to win, but got myself into contention.

"We'll see what happens."

Source: PA