A midround stretch of four consecutive birdies sent Ireland’s Seamus Power on his way to a five-stroke lead at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Friday in Pebble Beach, Calif.
Power carded an 8-under-par 64 in the second round at Pebble Beach Golf Links, leaving him at 16-under 128.
Andrew Putnam, Canada’s Adam Svensson and first-round leader Tom Hoge are tied for second at 11 under. Putnam shot a 5-under 67 at Spyglass Hill Golf Club, Putnam had a 2-under 69 at Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Svensson logged an 8-under 63 at Monterey Peninsula.
Austin Smotherman (68 at Monterey Peninsula), Patrick Cantlay (68 at Spyglass Hill) and Austria’s Matthias Schwab (62 at Pebble Beach) share fifth place at 10 under.
Seven players, including Australia’s Jason Day (66 at Monterey Peninsula) are tied for eighth place at 9 under.
Everyone in the field will play one round apiece at Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula before Pebble Beach hosts the final round on Sunday following a 54-hole cut.
Power was 2 under through his first eight holes before he birdied Nos. 9 through 12. He alternated pars and birdies over the next four holes before closing bogey-birdie.
“My wedge play was great,” he said. “Three or four shots I hit very, very close, and the way I’ve been putting, they were not gimmie birdies, but certainly ones you would expect to make, and it just changes your whole complex of your round, of your score. So that was the most pleasing.”
In four previous starts in the event, Power has never finished higher than a tie for 38th.
“I love coming here, (but) I haven’t really showed it,” he said. “I’ve always really enjoyed playing Spyglass and played it pretty well. So I knew if I could just have my decent game, I knew I could score well there, where a lot of guys kind of drop some shots and then kind of really put the pedal down on the other two courses.
“But nothing in particular, I just haven’t really come here with a lot of form before, and this is the first time I’ve had a bit of form. And I think it goes a long way, no matter what course you’re on, if you can play with confidence and kind of commit to your lines, you’ve got a really good chance, and I’ve been able to do that so far.”
Putnam had five birdies and one bogey in his round, while Hoge had a wild day. Hoge opened with a double bogey, immediately got those strokes back with consecutive birdies, followed with bogeys at Nos. 7 and 8. Then he logged five birdies and four pars over the next nine holes before closing with a bogey.
“I was a little shaky off the start, drove it a little crooked and missed some putts in there,” Hoge said. “I righted the ship pretty well from 9 on in. I was a little bit flustered with a bogey at the last, but it was nice to make some birdies coming in.”
Svensson was 2 under at the turn before finishing with six birdies and three pars on the back nine.
–Field Level Media