Jacob Bridgeman carded a two-under-par 69 to take a slender one-shot lead on the midway stage of the US PGA Tour Valspar Championship in Florida on Friday (Saturday AEDT).
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The 25-year-old from South Carolina recovered from an erratic entrance 9 that noticed two birdies and two bogeys to complete the day on six-under via 36 holes at Palm Harbor’s Innisbrook Resort.
Bridgeman, who is barely taking part in his second full season on the tour, is brimming with confidence after a second-place end on the Cognizant Traditional earlier this month — the primary high 10 end of his profession.
“I’ve been much more snug this entire yr,” Bridgeman mentioned. “Being my second yr, figuring out the programs and aware of the place to journey and what to do…ending second was only a confidence builder for me.
“I haven’t executed something like that but in my profession and doing that was form of good to get that one out of the best way.”
Bridgeman could have little margin for error over the weekend although, with a crowded leaderboard lurking simply behind him.
Three gamers — Norway’s Viktor Hovland, Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune and South Korea’s An Byeong-hun — are one off the lead on 5 beneath.
Hisatsune vaulted up the leaderboard with a five-under-par 66 which included 5 birdies on the again 9.
Main winners Shane Lowry and Xander Schauffele are additionally inside placing distance, two off the lead on 4 beneath.
Schauffele solely returned from an eight-week damage layoff just lately and is slowly feeling his manner again to kind and health after a stunning 2024 which included wins on the PGA Championship and British Open.
Though he completed final at The Gamers Championship final week, the 31-year-old mentioned Friday he was inspired by his kind to date on the Valspar.
“The objective was simply to be in contact going into the weekend, to get a few of these emotions once more,” Schauffele mentioned. “As quickly as I really feel a bit little bit of strain in my recreation the swing’s a bit bit form of dodgy at occasions.
“So it’s all a part of coming again and attempting to play at a excessive stage.”
5 gamers are three off the lead on three beneath, together with England’s Harry Corridor and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo.
VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD AFTER SECOND ROUND
-6, 136 – Jacob Bridgeman 67-69
-5, 137 – Viktor Hovland (NOR) 70-67, Ryo Hisatsune (JPN) 71-66, An Byeong-Hun (KOR) 70-67
-4, 138 – Xander Schauffele 70-68, Kevin Velo 68-70, Shane Lowry (IRL) 71-67, Jeremy Paul (GER) 69-69
-3, 139 – Victor Perez (FRA) 69-70, Davis Riley 69-70, Ricky Castillo 67-72, Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 71-68, Harry Corridor (ENG) 69-70
-2, 140 – Kevin Yu (TPE) 72-68, Nicolas Echavarria (COL) 68-72, Sepp Straka (AUT) 70-70, Corey Conners (CAN) 71-69, Billy Horschel 69-71, Will Zalatoris 71-69, JT Poston 71-69, Keith Mitchell 67-73, Mac Meissner 70-70, Joe Highsmith 73-67, Sam Stevens 69-71, Joohyung Kim (KOR) 74-66
-1, 141 – Matthieu Pavon (FRA) 70-71, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (DEN) 69-72, Lucas Glover 70-71, Gary Woodland 72-69, Bud Cauley 71-70, Beau Hossler 72-69, David Lipsky 70-71, Sahith Theegala 69-72, Sam Ryder 71-70, Andrew Novak 69-72, Max McGreevy 72-69, Kristoffer Ventura (NOR) 74-67, Henrik Norlander (SWE) 71-70