Long-hitting Jason Kokrak got hot with the short stick.
The 30-year-old Kokrak recorded a 7-under-par 64 to grab a one-stroke lead over Chez Reavie halfway through the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades.
Kokrak collected five of his eight birdies on the back nine at Riviera, a few miles from the Pacific Ocean, long-time host of the Los Angeles-area event on the PGA Tour.
“I drove the ball pretty straight, which is a big advantage for me on this course,” said Kokrak, who won twice on what is now the Web.com Tour in 2011 but has yet to win on the big tour. ” … Give yourself some birdie opportunities inside 20 to 25 feet (at Riviera), and you’re going to OK.
“If I putt well, that’s always a key for me. If I do, I usually finish in the top 10 or top 20. I feel like I’ve been putting well in the last four or five rounds.”
Reavie, who led after round one last week at Pebble Beach with a 63, followed his opening 66 at Riviera with a 67, carding birdies on three of the last four holes.
Bubba Watson, who won the Northern Trust two years ago, had a bogey-free 68 and was two shots back in a tie for third with Troy Merritt, who recorded a bogey-free 66, and Dustin Johnson, who also had a 66 as he tries to win the tournament for the first time after finishing second the last two years.
Marc Leishman of Australia was another stroke behind in solo sixth after a 67 that included an 18-foot eagle putt on the first hole, while third-ranked Rory McIlroy totaled 69 and was four shots down in a tie for seventh with Adam Scott (68) of Australia, K.J. Choi (67) of South Korea, Kyle Reifers (68), Justin Leonard (69), Charl Schwartzel (68) of South Korea, Hideki Matsuyama (67) of Japan and Luke List (70).
Top-ranked Jordan Spieth bounced back from an opening 79, the third-worst score of his pro career, with a 68 but still missed the cut by five strokes. The last time he failed to reach the weekend was last September in the Deutsche Bank Championship.
