Luke List finished off a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 ninth hole to take a one-stroke lead over Lucas Glover and Scott Brown after the second round in the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in windy conditions on the Nine Bridges course in Jeju Island, South Korea.
The 32-year-old List, whose only pro victory came in the 2012 South Georgia Classic on the Web.com Tour, posted a 36-hole score of 9-under 135.
“Some positive vibes there,” said List, whose only other lead after two rounds of a PGA Tour event came in the 2016 RBC Canadian Open. “Anytime you get a bogey-free round, you are really happy about it. The wind was tricky but I was able to save par a lot and play solid in the back nine.”
“If the wind does not blow out here, there will be a lot of birdies. If the wind does blow, you can kind of be a little bit more strategic and try to make some pars out there.”
Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, birdied two of the last three holes in another 67, while Brown had five birdies on the back nine in a 70.
First-round leader Justin Thomas, the reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year and FedExCup champion, struggled to a 74 after an opening 63 and is two shots back in a tie for fourth with Cameron Smith of Australia, who made four birdies in a span of six holes on his back nine in a 68.
Whee Kim of South Korea shot 70 and is another stroke behind in a tie for sixth with Marc Leishman of Australia, Patrick Reed and Chez Reavie, who all recorded 72s.
Branden Grace of South Africa birdied three holes down the stretch in a 67 that left him four shots behind in a tie for 10th with Thomas Pieters (68) of Belgium, Kyle Stanley (71), Ollie Schneiderjans (72) and Charles Howell III (72).
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