Tyler Duncan has never won as a pro, but he’s atop the leaderboard midway through the RSM Classic.
The 30-year-old Duncan posted a career-best, bogey-free, 9-under par 61 on the Seaside Course to take a two-stroke lead over Sebastian Munoz of Colombia, D.J. Trahan and Rhein Gibson of Australia at Sea Island Resort www.seaislandresort.com/Golf in St. Simons Island, Ga.
“I made a lot of putts, a lot of straight-ish putts, which I struggled with a little bit and we’ve been working on that a ton,” said Duncan, whose biggest victory came in the 2011 Indiana Amateur Championship.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had back-to-back rounds with no bogeys, so I’m happy to have that, for sure. And 61 I think is probably my lowest in competition, so very happy with that as well.”
Duncan, who birdied four of the first six holes and holed his second shot from 107 yards for an eagle at No. 7 en route to a 29 on the front nine, finished with a 36-hole score of 14-under 128.
Munoz, who claimed his first PGA Tour victory earlier this season in the Sanderson Farms Championship, collected four birdies on each nine and a single bogey in a 63, while Gibson made two late birdies in a 64, both on the Seaside Course.
Trahan birdied four straight holes in the middle of his bogey-free, 9-under-par 63 on the Plantation Course.
“It’s been great and I’m looking forward to playing a lot of new tournaments in 2020,” said Munoz, who won three times on lower pro tours. “I’m really happy and a little more relaxed on the golf course.
“My goals are simple, to just to be the best golfer I can be. I just want to keep improving and I know I can get better if I just put the time in. … You just have to get used to the interviews and the autographs (after winning), but you get used to it.”
Ricky Barnes of Stockton, who didn’t learn he was in the field until Tuesday, also shot 63
on the Plantation Course and is three shots back in a tie for fifth with Fabian Gomez, 41, of Argentina, who made six birdies on his back nine in a 63 on the Seaside Course.
Brendon Todd, who has won the last two events on the PGA Tour, posted a 66 on the Plantation after recording the same score on the Seaside and is another stroke back in a tie for seventh with Henrik Norlander of Sweden (65), Scott Brown (67) and Kyounng-Hoon Lee of South Korea, (68), who all played the Plantation Course.
First-round leader Webb Simpson recovered from a slow start with three straight birdies late in a 68 on the Seaside Course and is tied for 11th.
Defending champion Charles Howell III had a 72 on the Plantation Course and missed the cut by two strokes, and tournament host Davis Love III struggled to a 74 on the Plantation and missed the weekend by four.
Every golfer in the field played each course in the first two rounds, but the last two rounds will be contested completely on the Seaside Course.
For complete results, visit https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
