Kevin Na isn’t exactly what Elvis was when it comes to Las Vegas, but he knows how to hit the jackpot in Sin City, which he now calls home.
The 36-year-old Na, who left Diamond Bar High before his senior year in 2001 to turn pro, blistered TPC Summerlin http://tpc.com/summerlin for a 9-under-par 62 to tie Patrick Cantlay, Lucas Glover and Brian Stuard for the lead midway through the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Vegas.
“I broke through for my first win here in 2011 and I seem to get the local good bounces and lip-ins here,” said Na, who made more than 200 feet of putts in the second round. “I’ve got a lot of local support here, too. A lot of people come out to cheer for me.
“It can be tough to putt the greens in the afternoon, but I was comfortable over the putter. I had some good reads, was putting a nice roll on the ball and I was making putts. The ball was going in the hole.”
Na (pictured), a three-time PGA Tour winner, sank eagle putts of 44 feet on the 13th hole and 35 feet on the 16th before closing with the last two of his six birdies to tie Cantlay, Glover and Stuard at 12-under 130 after 36 holes.
The seventh-ranked Cantlay holed a 46-foot eagle putt at No. 15 en route to a 64, while Glover hit his approach from 209 yards to within a foot-and-a-half for an eagle at No. 16 in a 63, and Stuard collected six birdies in a second straight 65.
“Driving the ball in the fairway is really important,” said Cantlay, from Los Alamitos and UCLA, who won at TPC Summerlin in 2017. “It’s one of my strengths, so most of the tee shots out here look really comfortable to me. Leaves me lots of wedges, lots of opportunities for scoring.
“The first couple days, I hit the ball really well, especially off the tee. I think that’s a big part of playing this golf course well, is hitting driver a lot. I hit driver a lot out here when other guys might lay-up. … It’s worked.
“I like this place. I have a good track record here and feel comfortable.”
Said Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion: “I hit a lot of good putts yesterday, but didn’t make much, but today I got it going. They all looked like they were going in, but some didn’t. My ball-striking has been good and with a couple more good days I should have an opportunity (to win). Everything seems to be working.”
Matt Jones of Australia was alone in fifth after a bogey-free 63, while Beau Hossler of Rancho Santa Margarita shot 65 to tie for sixth with Lanto Griffin (65), Sam Ryder (67), Scott Stallings (65) and first-round leader Nick Taylor of Canada (69).
Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau of Clovis, ranked 10th, posted a 68 and is in a tie for 21st that includes Phil Mickelson, who totaled 69, and reigning U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland, who had a 65.
Top-ranked Brooks Koepka, playing for the first time in the new season, missed the cut by four strokes at 70-71, while his younger brother. Chase, is tied for 34th after a 69.
“He’s going to hear about it,” quipped Chase, who is playing on a sponsor exemption.
Cameron Champ of Sacramento, who claimed his second PGA Tour title last week in the Safeway Open, finished at 70-72 to miss the cut by five shots.
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