Patrick Reed shot a second consecutive 9-under-par 63, this one at La Quinta Country Club, to take a two-stroke lead over Brendon Todd after round two of the Humana Challenge.
The 23-year-old Reed, whose only PGA Tour victory came last year in the Wyndham Championship, carded his first bogey of the tournament on the second hole, but collected eight birdies and an eagle, on a five-foot putt at the fifth hole, in his round.
“It’s great to have that feeling that you can go out and shoot 63,” said Reed, who played college golf at Augusta State. “And to actually do it two times in a row shows that what we have done during the offseason and what we’re doing now is working.
“The good thing is even though we’re playing great, I feel like there’s still room for improvement out there while I was playing. Today, I felt like there was three shots out there (that he missed); yesterday, I thought there was one or two out there.”
Todd, who has never won on the PGA Tour but has two victories on the Web.com Tour, is bogey-free through 36 holes and had a 63 on the Arnold Palmer Private Course at PGA West, where Reed recorded his in the first round.
Ryan Palmer was third, three shots behind, after a 65 at La Quinta Country Club, followed another stroke back by Charley Hoffman, who came in at 66 on the Jack Nicklaus Private Course at PGA West.
Bill Haas posted a 66 on the Nicklaus Course and was tied for fifth with James Driscoll, who had a 63 at La Quinta Country Club.
Zach Johnson shot 68 and was tied for eighth, Keegan Bradley was tied for 22nd after a 66 and Brandt Snedeker came in at 64 and was tied for 34th. All three played on the Nicklaus Course.
Bradley made the first hole in one of his PGA Tour career with a seven-iron from 176 yards on the third hole.
