Cameron Tringale holds a two-shot lead at the Valero Texas Open, with Jordan Spieth and Matt Wallace sitting in tied-second at TPC San Antonio - watch the third round live on Saturday on Sky Sports Golf
Saturday 3 April 2021 00:22, UK
Jordan Spieth remains in the hunt for a first worldwide victory in nearly four years after moving within two shots of the halfway lead at the Valero Texas Open.
The former world No 1, without a win since The Open at Royal Birkdale in 2017, followed his opening-round 67 by battling to a two-under 70 in tough scoring conditions at TPC San Antonio.
Spieth sits in tied-second and just two strokes behind Cameron Tringale, who set the clubhouse target at nine under after a second-round 69, with Matt Wallace alongside Spieth on seven under thanks to a bogey-free 68.
The three-time major champion followed a 10-foot birdie at the first and took advantage of the par-five next but was unable to add to his tally on the front nine, holing clutch putts to save par either side of his missed opportunity from eighth feet at the eighth.
Spieth responded to bogeys at the 11th and 13th by posting back-to-back birdies over his next two holes, with the 27-year-old rattling the flag with his pitch off the 17th green and then having to settle for a two-putt par at the par-five last.
Wallace birdied three of the four par-fives and added a tap-in gain at the short par-four 17th hole, lifting him within two of the halfway lead, while Erik van Rooyen - among the players looking to qualify for The Masters with a win - is four back alongside Kyle Stanley, Brandt Snedeker and Kevin Stadler.
"Whenever you go bogey free, whatever golf course it is, it's nice, but especially here," Wallace said. "I've been feeling comfortable about my game for a while now, just trying to hole a few more putts and keep the scoring going and making the right putts at the right time."
Tringale bogeyed his opening two holes but racked up five consecutive birdies from the 14th and nail a 12-footer at the second, with the American topping the leaderboard despite missing a four-footer to save par at the sixth and cancelling out a birdie at the eighth with a dropped shot at the last.
Overnight leader Camilo Villegas is five behind after struggling to a four-over 76, while Charley Hoffman fired a round-of-the-day 66 to jump into the group on three under that also includes Hideki Matsuyama.
Rickie Fowler made it through to the weekend thanks to a bogey-free 68, while defending champion Corey Conners struggled to a two-over 74 to drop to one under and Tony Finau - the highest-ranked player in the field - missed the cut.
Watch the Valero Texas Open throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues with Featured Group on Saturday from 1.30pm on Sky Sports Golf.
