Si Woo Kim worked on his putting and it paid off.
The 21-year-old South Korean shot 10-under-par 60 to take a two-stroke lead over Jim Furyk, Lucas Glover, Kevin Na and Hideki Matsuyama of Japan midway through the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.
Kim barely missed a 49-foot birdie putt for 59 on the last hole.
“Much more putting practice last week,” said Kim, who lost to Aaron Baddeley on the fourth hole of a playoff in the Barbasol Championship last month. “That’s better, just putting. My irons and putting game is much better.
“Not so much celebrate today. After this week, play good, I celebrate. I’m not thinking too much like for later and win, just trying today (to concentrate on) my putting, my shot. That’s it.”
Kim, who won the 2015 Stonebrae Classic on the Web.com Tour at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward, had a 36-hole total of 12-under 128 after breaking the tournament scoring record of 61 shared by Brandt Snedeker (2015), Tim Herron (2012), Arjun Atwal (2010), Na (2010) and Carl Pettersson (2008).\
Glover also had a chance to shoot 59, but left his 27-foot birdie putt on No. 18 before also missing his par putt from 19 inches to make his only bogey, and settled for a 61.
“I just lost my concentration a bit on the little one,” Glover said. “I had the read on the first one up the hill and kept telling myself to make sure I got it there, but I left it short. It was just one of those days. I made a bunch of putts, one a 50-footer, and chipped in.
“I’m thrilled with the way I played you have to go low here to have a chance.”
Furyk, who set the PGA record of 58 two weeks ago in the Travelers Championship, sank a 7-foot eagle putt on the fifth hole en route to a 64, Matsuyama had five birdies on the back nine in another 64 and Na made a 12-foot eagle putt on his way to a 67 after sharing the first-round lead with a 63.
Rafa Cabrera Bello of Spain, who also opened with a 63, came back with a 68 that included a 25-foot eagle putt on No. 15 and was three shots back in solo sixth.
Brandt Snedeker, who won this tournament in 2007, shot 67 and was five strokes down in a tie for seventh with Brett Stegmaier and Andrew Landry, also also had 67s, plus Luke Donald of England, who came in at 68.
Rickie Fowler posted a 67 and was six shots back in a tie for 11th that included Bill Haas, who had a 68.
