Patrick Reed has shown that he can handle the pressure of holding the lead, and he has it after two rounds of the Barclays.
Reed, who was tied for the top spot after the first round, shot 3-under-par 68 to take a two-stroke lead over Rickie Fowler and Emiliano Grillo of Argentina midway through the FedEx Cup playoffs opener at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.
“I think I played solid,” said Reed, who has won four times on the PGA Tour since 2013, but is winless this season despite playing well with nine top-10 finishes. “I made two mental mistakes and made bogey each time, but it was nice to make a birdie on No. 17.
“I have to just stick with my game plan and shoot low numbers to keep the pressure on everyone chasing me. I feel good and I have to just keep hitting good golf shots.”
Reed, who opened with a 66, carded three birdies in the first four holes and overcame two late bogeys to finish at 8-under 134 after 36 holes.
Fowler, from Murrieta, started on the back nine and recorded 10 straight pars before making two birdies on the front in a bogey-free 69, while Grillo survived a double-bogey 6 on the ninth hole while also finishing at 69.
“(Bethpage Black) is one of the toughest tests we face all year, including the majors,” said Fowler, who is battling to climb four spots in the standings to No. 8 and earn a spot in the U.S. Ryder Cup team. “You can’t fake it out here.
“It’s been a tough few months. I’ve been swinging well but not making many putts. It’s nice to see a few go in. Tee-to-green it’s been great. This was a good, solid round and it’s nice to have a chance to turn things around.”
Ryan Moore birdied four of the first seven holes en route to a 68 and was three shots back in solo fourth, while top-ranked Jason Day of Australia birdied five of the first seven holes before struggling the rest of the way for a 70 and was another stroke down in a tie for fifth with third-ranked Jordan Spieth (67), first-round co-leader Martin Laird (72) of Scotland, Adam Hadwin (68) of Canada and Sean O’Hair (69).
Kevin Chappell of Fresno and UCLA posted an up-and-down 72 that included a 20-foot eagle putt on the seventh hole and was five shots behind in a tie for 10th with Ricky Barnes (67) of Stockton, Harold Varner III (67), Jim Herman (68), Ryan Palmer (68), Blayne Barber (69), Jhonattan Vegas (71) of Venezuela and J.B. Holmes (72).
Fifth-ranked Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland was tied for 18th after at 69, 2013 Barclays champion Adam Scott of Australia was tied for 26th after a 72, U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson shot 72 and was tied for 39th, Olympic champion Justin Rose of England totaled 70 and was in a tie for 51st that included Phil Mickelson, who had a 73, and Olympic bronze medalist Matt Kuchar was a tied for 61st following a 72.
