Germany’s Martin Kaymer is still the man to beat halfway through THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida after 36 holes … but now he’s got some company.
Twenty-year-old Jordan Spieth fired a 6-under 66 to close within one stroke of Kaymer, who set the course record with a 63 on Thursday and followed that up with a 69 on Friday to sit at 12-under.
Spieth was fourth after his opening round 67, and shot his second straight bogey-free round on Friday. Kaymer had five birdies and two bogeys.
The only other player within five strokes of the lead is Russell Henley, who is at 8-under after a 71 on Friday to follow up his 65 on Thursday. behind Henley is a five-way tie for fourth of marquee players Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk, Gary Woodland, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose. The latter four were all in the same position after Thursday, while Furyk jumped up from 29th by shooting a 4-under 68 on Friday.
With a brisk wind in play, there weren’t many low sores; Spieth’s 66 was the best of the day followed by a 67 recorded by the UK’s Brian Davis and South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel.
Masters champion Bubba Watson shot an even-par 72 to fall into a tie for 25th, but he was considered lucky among some of the game’s bigger names on Friday. PGA Championship champion Jason Dufner shot a 2-over 74 to fall from 19th to a tie for 52nd. Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els each barely made the cut by finishing at even par. McIlroy shot a 2-over 74 while Els misfired to a 4-over 76 one day after seeing himself tied for 12th with a 68.
On the wrong side of that even par cut was Phil Mickelson, who shot a 70 to get to 1-over the day, but could not overcome his opening-round 75.
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