Brendon Todd carded a 6-under-par 66 to take a two-stroke lead over eight players midway through the HP Byron Nelson Championship at TPC Las Colinas in Irving, Texas.
The 28-year-old Todd, who has won four times as a pro but never on the PGA Tour, shot 4-under 31 on the back nine despite carding his only bogey of the day at No. 15, where he missed a 15-foot putt for par.
“The wind kicked up on the back nine, but I was hitting the ball really solid,” said Todd, who separated himself from the pack with birdie putts of six feet on the 17th hole and nine feet on the last. “I was able to hit some three-quarter knockdown shots into the green and that suits my game.
“I’m going to try to keep doing the same things, putting the ball in the fairway off the tee and then hitting the greens. If you give yourself chances with your wedge, you can make some birdies.”
Martin Kaymer of Germany, coming off his victory in the Players Championship, posted his second straight 67 and was two shots back in a tie for second with Paul Casey of England, who had a brilliant 63, Marc Leishman of Australia, who carded a 69, and Mike Weir of Canada, Morgan Hoffman, Graham DeLaet of Canada, Charles Howell III and Tim Herron, who all had 66s.
Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa shot 65 and was three strokes back in a tie for 10th with Gary Woodland, who had a 67, and with Ryan Palmer, Boo Weekley and Tyrone Van Aswegen of South Africa, who all posted 68s.
