Ben An shares lead at Phoenix Open as Martin Laird stars on day two
Saturday 4 February 2017 07:34, UK
Byeong Hun An powered into a share of the halfway lead with Brendan Steele after firing a five-under 66 on the second day of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Scotland's Martin Laird also made a significant move with a 66 of his own to get within a shot of the leaders alongside defending champion Hideki Matsuyama and overnight leader Matt Kuchar, while early-season sensation Justin Thomas crashed to an early exit.
An was the best of the early starters and birdied three of the first six holes in perfect conditions at TPC Scottsdale, although his momentum took a hit when he three-putted the seventh green from 50 feet.
The South Korean, who leapt to prominence when he stormed to a six-shot victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in 2015, steadied himself with a run of seven pars before getting back on track with a birdie at 15.
An then got up-and-down from just short of the driveable par-four 17th, and he finished in style as he rolled in a 35-foot putt for another birdie at the last to set the early clubhouse target at 10 under.
The former US Amateur champion was later joined at the top by Steele, who also birdied three of the last four holes and kept a bogey off his card in a 67.
The big-hitting Laird started at the 10th and picked up shots at 15 and 17, adding another at the third before capping a flawless round with further gains at eight and nine.
Matsuyama, who edged out Rickie Fowler in a play-off in the Arizona desert last year, looked likely to make it a three-way tie at the top when he rolled in his fourth birdie putt of the day at the 17th.
But the in-form Japanese ace bunkered his approach to the final green and missed a six-foot putt for par for his only blemish of a 68, slipping into a share of second with Kuchar (69) and Sung Kang, who carded seven birdies in a 65.
Fowler returned a 68 to move to seven under alongside former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, who followed an eagle at the third with birdies at the next two holes before offsetting gains at 15 and 17 with a frustrating double-bogey six at the last after tugging his drive into the water.
Jordan Spieth was another big name to find the hazard from the tee at 18 as his closing six saw him slip to four under with fan-favourite Phil Mickelson, who closed out an erratic 70 with bogeys at his final two holes.
Andrew "Beef" Johnston delighted the vast galleries as he birdied three of the last five to scrape into the weekend on one under.
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But Thomas, who won the first two events of 2017 in Hawaii and posted a stunning 59 at the Sony Open, made only one birdie against three bogeys as a 73 was one too many to avoid a weekend off.
