Defending champion Paul Casey had a bit of a flashback in the second round of the Valspar Championship.
The 41-year-old Englishman posted a 5-under-par 66 and is tied for the lead with Austin Cook midway through the tournament on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort https://www.innisbrookgolfresort.com/golf/copperhead-course in Palm Harbor, Fla.
“I’ve never (successfully) defended a professional event,” said Casey, who closed with a 65 last year to hold off Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed by one stroke for his second PGA Tour victory and first since the 2009 Shell Houston Open. “I would love to do that.
“Mentally, last year I was hoping I would win, wanting to win. This year, knowing that I have won around here, I have a slightly different approach to it, and I played today quite aggressively and tried to take advantage of the golf course.
“Everybody is going to make bogeys. If you can just minimize those, it puts you in a good position.”
Casey (pictured) sank a 27-foot eagle putt on the fifth hole while finishing on the front nine to take the lead, but made his only bogey at No. 9 to finish 36 holes even with Cook at 6-under 136.
Cook, whose only PGA Tour victory came as a rookie in the 2017 RSM Classic, collected five birdies in the first 11 holes before making his only bogey on the 12th hole in a 67.
Luke Donald of England held the lead until making two bogeys in his last four holes while shooting 70 and is one stroke back in a tie for third with Sungjae Im of South Korea, who had a 67, and Scott Stallings, who finished at 68.
Top-ranked Dustin Johnson carded a second straight 69 and is two shots behind in a tie for sixth with first-round co-leader Joel Dahmen, who wound up at 72, and Curtis Luck, who recorded a 68.
Tenth-ranked Jon Rahm of Spain totaled 68 and is another shot behind in a tie for ninth with Lucas Glover (67), Kramer Hickock (68), Rory Sabbatini (69) of Slovakia, Shawn Stefani (71) and Roberto Castro (71).
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