Three share the lead at the halfway point of THE PLAYERS
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Zach Johnson carded a 6-under 66 on Friday to move to 8-under 136 through two rounds of THE PLAYERS Championship, sharing the lead with Kevin Na and Matt Kuchar. It fell one shy of his best round at the event, a 7-under 65 in his first-ever round at the event in 2005. He also posted a 6-under 66 in the final round a year ago. All three of Johnson’s previous first-round lead/co-leads came during the 2004 season, eventually winning the BellSouth Classic, finishing T11 at the Shell Houston Open and T3 at the Buick Championship. Johnson is making his eighth start at THE PLAYERS, with a T8 in his inaugural start in 2005 his only top-10 finish. He now owns seven made cuts at the event, missing only in 2008. Johnson is making his 12th start of the season, with a runner-up finish at the RBC Heritage and a T8 at the Humana Challenge his lone top 10s. THE PLAYERS champions who have also won the Masters Tournament: Raymond Floyd, Jack Nicklaus, Sandy Lyle, Fred Couples, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson.
Kevin Na recorded a 3-under 69 on Friday to move to 8-under 136 and a share of the second-round lead. It marks the fifth time Na has held a share of the 36-hole lead, with his most recent such lead leading to his only win in those events (2011 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open). Na missed his last two cuts at THE PLAYERS in 2010 and 2011. He has made just three cuts in seven starts at TPC Sawgrass (TBD/2012, T3/2009, T54/2008). Na, currently No. 30 in the FedExCup standings, is making his 14th start of the year. He has four top-10 finishes, including a season-best T4 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. Prior to this week’s opening rounds of 67-69, Na’s only other round in the 60s at THE PLAYERS was a 66 in the second round in 2009.
Making his eighth start at THE PLAYERS, Matt Kuchar shares the lead with Zach Johnson and Kevin Na after a second-consecutive 4-under 68. He now has five made cuts at the event, including three top-20 finishes (T13 in 2010, T14 in 2009, T16 in 2004). This week represents the first time Kuchar has posted two rounds in the 60s in any given year at THE PLAYERS.
Kuchar has now held the second-round lead/co-lead five times in his career: 2008 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (finished 2nd), 2010 PGA Championship (T10), 2010 BMW Championship (T3), 2011 Barclays (2nd). Kuchar has yet to miss a cut this season in 10 starts, with top-10 finishes at the Masters (T3), World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship (T5), WGC-Cadillac Championship (T8) and Transitions Championship (T10). He is No. 28 in the FedExCup standings.