Si Woo Kim misplaced all the five-shot lead he constructed whereas flirting with sub-60 historical past on the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
However the 30-year-old South Korean nonetheless managed to take care of an edge over a few main champions, together with hometown favorite and defending champion Scottie Scheffler, heading into the ultimate spherical.
Kim shot three-under 68 on Saturday for a two-shot lead over top-ranked Scheffler and 2023 US Open champion Wyndham Clark, who had matching 65s.
“I was thinking about too much scoring like first 10, 11 holes,” Kim mentioned. “So I’m just trying to be back to kind of like yesterday. Yeah, just trying to hit the good shots and trying to like, all the mojo’s back.”
Sungjae Im, Kim’s countryman, adopted a second-round 61 with a 67 and was one other two pictures again with Stephan Jaeger and Tom Hoge. Jaeger’s 64 was the low spherical of the day on the TPC Craig Ranch, and Hoge shot 66.
Zach Bauchou (66) was 16 beneath, one shot forward of Brooks Koepka (66) and three others. Koepka, who opened with a 63, is on the lookout for his first win since returning to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf.
Kim, the sphere’s second highest-ranked participant behind Scheffler at No 24, was in place for a 59 within the second spherical however had a bogey at 18 that pressured him to accept 60.
His five-shot lead was tied for the second-biggest on tour by way of 36 holes this season behind Rory McIlroy’s six-shot edge when he defended his Masters championship in April.
Three bogeys in a span of 4 holes – all on putts inside 10 ft – dropped the four-time tour winner right into a tie with Clark at 18 beneath. Clark had earlier pulled inside a stroke with a brief eagle putt on the par-five ninth.
Clark took the lead a scrambling birdie on the par-five twelfth, making a 15-foot putt after a bunker shot along with his proper foot within the grass, his flexed proper knee nearly touching the bottom.
“It’s fun being in contention,” mentioned Clark, a three-time tour winner looking for his first victory since Pebble Seaside in 2024.
“Whether you have to shoot eight under to win or one under to win, it’s fun because you still feel the same heat. Tomorrow it’s probably going to be exactly that way where you have to make a ton of birdies.”
Kim, Scheffler and Clark had been tied at 19 beneath when Kim went in entrance with a birdie on the brief par-four 14th after Scheffler and Clark settled for pars after making an attempt to drive the inexperienced.
Clark bought even once more, however Kim went in entrance for good with a birdie on the par-three fifteenth.
Scheffler, a four-time main winner who ran away to an eight-shot victory finally 12 months’s Nelson, answered his first bogey of the event on the par-three fourth with three birdies over the ultimate 5 holes on the entrance 9.
Jordan Spieth, a hometown favourite alongside Scheffler, light with 4 bogeys on his first 5 holes on the again 9 a day after six consecutive birdies to start out his second 9 spurred a 62. He shot 73.
First-round chief Taylor Moore was again in rivalry after 4 consecutive birdies, however went within the water on the fifteenth and ended up with a triple-bogey 6. He shot 69 and was 13 beneath.
Get the very best costs and e book a spherical at considered one of 1,700 programs throughout the UK & Eire
Watch the The CJ Cup Byron Nelson dwell till Sunday on Sky Sports activities Golf, the place Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract.
