Kevin Na Made an outstanding finish to claim a share of the halfway lead since Brooks Koepka crashed out of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at Las Vegas.
Na holed over 125 feet of putts over the past six holes, two of these falling for eagle in front of a birdie-birdie finish capped a great 62 on another day of scoring at TPC Summerlin, while 2017 winner Patrick Cantlay fired a 64 to join with the four-way tie at the very top.
Brian Stuard (65) and 2009 US Open champion Lucas Glover (63) additionally go into the weekend on 12 under par, but Koepkas first start since losing out to Rory McIlroy at the Tour Championship at August led to a missed cut by four shots.
Na cruised to the turn in 31 before dropping his only shot at the day in the 10th, but he enjoyed the unbelievable run of form on the greens down the stretch, holing putts from 45 feet at the 13th and 35 feet at the 15th – both for eagle.
The 36-year-old got chances to drop from external 20 feet on each of the last two greens to complete the next day in which he vaulted 42 sets up the leaderboards score.
Yeah, my putter was sexy, said Na with a wry grin afterwards. I began using a 60-footer on the first gap, and I just kept making alterations now. I hit lots of good photographs, too, but the putter was working.
It certainly one of these days when you stand and you believe everything. My stroke just felt good and I felt convinced within the putt. I was more into focusing on placing a good stroke than attempting to create it if you understand exactly what I mean.
Cantlay surged into contention with an astonishing back-nine – his first nine – using four birdies and an eagle-two at the driveable par-four 15th including up to an inward 30, although his scoring was more sedate on the front as he mixed two additional birdies using a single blemish.
The quartet have a one-stroke guide within Australian Matt Jones, who returned with an 63, while the Martin Laird of Scotland raced to and capped a 65 that is leading with his seventh birdie of the round.
Former Masters champion Adam Scott is also under, with Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and US Open holder Gary Woodland one further.
But no 1 Koepka are going to have the weekend after he was unable to match the low scoring of his rivals, offsetting three birdies with a bogey and a double-bogey in the par-four 11th, where he took him four shots simply to find the putting surface.
As the four-time big champions younger brother Chase added a 69 to his opening 66 to finish off the lead on seven under 45, there will be interest for the Koepka family over the next half of the occasion.
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