Marc Leishman of Australia wasn’t quite as spectacular in round two, but was good enough to extend his lead to three strokes in the BMW Championship.
The 33-year-old Leishman, trying to climb into the top five in the FedExCup point standings heading to the Tour Championship next week, shot 7-under-par 64 at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill.
“I just tried to do the same things as yesterday, give myself opportunities and take advantage of them,” said Leishman, whose victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this year was his second on the PGA Tour. “I did a good job at both of those things.
“I’m glad to back up a 62 with a 64. I’m happy with the day and want to keep that momentum.”
Leishman has a 36-hole total of 16-under 126, the second-lowest score on the PGA Tour after two rounds this season.
Jason Day of Australia, who captured the BMW Championship in 2015, made a hole in one on the 189-yard 17th hole after holing a 29-foot eagle putt at No. 14 en route to a 65 that left him in a tie for second with Rickie Fowler of Murrieta.
“It’s kind of strange, but my last hole in one was two years ago,” said Day, who showed no signs of the back spasms that bothered him in round one. “I’ve had two eagles and a hole in one this week, so I guess these things come in bunches. I hope to keep that going the next two days.
“I’m driving it better this week, the irons have been good and the putting obviously was pretty good, too. I’m pleased with the way the first two days went, but I know there are two days left and there are a lot of great players out here.”
Day earned a new BMW M760i sedan for the second ace of his career and BMW will donate $100,000 to the Western Golf Association and Evans Scholars Foundation.
Fowler sank a nine-foot eagle putt on the 15th hole and had three birdies on the back nine in a 64 one day after making six straight birdies through the 17th hole.
“It was similar to yesterday, I got on a hot streak on the back nine,” said Fowler, who won the Honda Classic earlier this year for his fourth PGA Tour victory. “I had the eagle and some birdies there, but would have liked to make another birdie on the last hole. It’s nice to know you can make some birdies on the last seven holes if you don’t get off to a great start.
“I made some good swings coming in and I need to keep that going the next two days.”
Patrick Cantlay of Los Alamitos and UCLA birdied five of the first eight holes on his way to a 65 and is six shots back in fourth, while Francesco Molinari of Italy also had a 65 and is another stroke behind in a tie for fifth with Stewart Cink, who totaled 66.
Brendan Steele of Idyllwild and UC Riverside shot 66 and is eight down in a tie for seventh with Jamie Lovemark (70) of Rancho Santa Fe and USC, Hudson Swafford (66), Gary Woodland (67) and Cameron Smith (68) of Australia.
Jordan Spieth, the FedExCup points leader, is tied for 12th after a 70, while Justin Thomas, second in the standings, is tied for 29th after another 70, defending FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland is tied for 50th after a 69, and top-ranked Dustin Johnson is tie for 62nd after a 72.
For complete results, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.
