Andrew Loupe has never won on the PGA Tour, but he obviously isn’t fazed by being on top of the leaderboard.
The 27-year-old Loupe, who held a share of the lead after one round, shot 1-under-par 71 to take a one-stroke lead over Roberto Castro midway through the Wells Fargo Championship at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.
“It’s halftime,” said Loupe, whose only pro victory came in the 2015 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship on the Web.com Tour. “There’s a lot of good golfers right behind me. Just do my best to stay in this very moment.”
Loupe holed a six-foot birdie putt on his final hole of the day, No. 9, to stay ahead of Castro, who holed his second shot from 221 yards for an eagle at No. 18 after also starting on the back nine, and birdied the last two holes on the front to cap a 66.
Chesson Hadley overcame a double bogey-6 on the third hole, his only hiccup of the day, to post a 67 and was two shots back in a tie for third with Mark Hubbard, who sank a five-foot eagle putt on the seven hole en route to a 68.
Rickie Fowler, playing alongside third-ranked Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland for the second straight day, had a lone bogey at No. 13 in a 68 and was another stroke down in a tie for fifth with Phil Mickelson (70), first-round co-leader Steve Wheatcroft (74), Brian Harman (70), Daniel Berger (71) and Scott Langley (69).
“Rory and I definitely enjoy the times we get to play together,” said Fowler, who had three straight birdies through No. 8 and added two more on Nos. 13 and 14. “It was fun to kind of get each other going a bit and kind of feed off each other. It would have been nice to get a few more for the both of us.”
Tenth-ranked Justin Rose of England was tied for 11th after a 70, McIlroy bounced back from a 73 with a 69 that put him in a tie for 24th, and seventh-ranked Adam Scott of Australia was tied for 35th after a 70.
Jim Furyk, playing for the first time this year following left wrist surgery, finished at 73-75–148 and missed the cut by three strokes.
