Steele takes lead at Honda Classic, Koepka & Fowler miss cut

Brendan Steele moved to the highest of the Honda Classic leaderboard as star pair Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler missed the cut.

Steele carded a three-under-par 67 to earn a one-stroke lead after the second circular of the PGA Tour match in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on Friday.

A 3-time Tour champion however searching for his first title since 2017, Steele holed 5 birdies and two bogeys to maneuver to 5 beneath by way of 36 holes at PGA National Golf Club.

J.T. Poston (69) and English pair Luke Donald (66) and Lee Westwood (69) are a stroke off the tempo at the midway stage of the occasion, whereas Gary Woodland (67), Nick Watney (66), Sepp Straka (67) and Cameron Davis (67) full the highest 5.

Leaderboard via 36 holes @TheHondaClassic:

1. @Brendan_Steele (-5)
T2. @JT_ThePostman (-4)
T2. @LukeDonald
T2. @WestwoodLee
T5. @GaryWoodland (-3)
T5. Nick Watney
T5. @seppstraka
T5. @camdavisgolf pic.twitter.com/7BQlkDgIVe

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 28, 2020

Harris English and Tom Lewis had been co-leaders following the opening circular, however each gamers struggled on day two.

A second-round 74 noticed English drop down right into a share of 24th, whereas Lewis’s five-over-par 75 noticed him slip to at least one over for the match.

It was a forgettable circular for former world primary Koepka and Fowler, who did not make it to the weekend.

206-yard eagle hole-out!. @CA_Schwartzel drains it from lengthy vary. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/eXdR7frf5i

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 28, 2020

The cut line was three over and four-time main champion Koepka completed eight over following back-to-back 74s – Friday’s circular that includes two double-bogeys and a bogey.

“I struck it rather well,” mentioned Koepka, who missed December’s Presidents Cup resulting from a knee harm. “Really happy with how I’m hitting it… Everything is sweet. No complaints. It has nothing to do with my knee.

“Just want to select it up slightly bit, choose up the tempo, give it perhaps slightly bit extra contact across the greens, slightly bit extra really feel. But the way in which I’m putting it, I’m more than happy. I really feel very proud of it.”

Play it because it lies? pic.twitter.com/LZdvjt6Bh2

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 28, 2020

Fellow American Fowler posted a 68 however he nonetheless missed the cut at 4 over, whereas Justin Rose (74) and defending champion Keith Mitchell (72) additionally did not qualify for Saturday and Sunday.

Published 29 Feb 2020, 06:00 IST