After a sparkling nine-under-par 63 in the opening round, Fil-American Rico Hoey cooled off with a 70, pulling him down to a share of 26th place in the US PGA Tour American Express tournament in La Quinta, California on Friday.
The 27-year-old Philippine-born player bogeyed the first hole after sending his tee shot into the rough, 206 yards to the green. He hit his approach short of the green and chipped it to inside nine feet but missed the par-saving putt.
He birdied the par-3 fourth hole from 10 feet and reached the green in two at the par-5 fifth for another birdie.
Hoey birdied the par-5 No. 11 following a superb blast from 35 yards, setting up a 14-footer which he converted. Another birdie came on the following hole following an approach to within four feet.
He again drove to the rough on the par-4 15th, missed the green and failed to make the 11-foot par-saving putt.
Hoey is 6 off the pace
Hoey is 11-under through 36 holes, six shots behind Sam Burns who seized the lead after a stellar 61.
The 27-year-old American’s outstanding round included two eagles, several birdies, and impeccable shotmaking, resulting in a career-best performance.
Burns finished the day atop the leaderboard at 17-under-par 127, one stroke ahead of Michael Kim who carded a 63.
Tom Kim in the hunt
South Korean Tom Kim and amateur Nick Dunlap share the third spot at 15-under 129.
Dunlap, the reigning US Amateur champion, returned a 65 while Kim carded a 64.
World number six Patrick Cantlay is part of a group at 130, joining the likes of 2021 champion Kim Si-woo, South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, American Eric Cole, Sweden’s Alex Noren, and Canadian Adam Hadwin.
