Daniel Berger posted a bogey-free 6-under-par 64 to claim a three-stroke lead over Tom Hoge midway through the FedEx St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn.
The 23-year-old Berger, Rookie of the Year on the PGA Tour last season, collected three birdies on each nine while playing with a new driver and 3-wood that he put in his bag at the start of the week.
“It was a pretty easy adjustment,” said Berger, who has yet to win on the circuit but was the only rookie to make it all the way through the FedEx Cup playoffs to the 2015 Tour Championship. “The TaylorMade guys have been great and they found me a quick replacement, and I just got up there and started whacking it … right down the middle. I think that’s all you can ask for when you get a new driver in your hands.
“Everything was (working) when you don’t have a bogey and shoot 64. I’m just excited to see what happens this weekend and get ready for [the U.S. Open] next week. To just know I’m playing well enough to contend is big.
” … The greens felt like I was at home.”
Hoge, who held a share of the first-round lead at 65, followed with a 69 that included birdies on his last two holes, while Phil Mickelson made three birdies on each side and a single bogey at No. 13 in a 65 that put him four shots back in a tie for third with Brooks Koepka, who had a bogey-free 65, and Dustin Johnson, who eagled the third hole but finished bogey-double bogey for a 69.
Ken Duke carded a 66 and was in a big tie for sixth with Brett Stegmaier (69), Russell Henley (68), Shawn Stefani (71), Wesley Bryan 66), Cameron Percy (67) of Australia, Will Mackenzie (66), Brian Gay (70) and Hudson Swafford (66).
