C.T. Pan of Taiwan and Aaron Rai of England share the 36-hole lead at the John Deere Classic after they each shot 8-under 63 on Friday at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.
Pan and Rai enter the weekend at 14-under 128, one shot ahead of Englishman Harry Hall, who posted a 66 Friday.
Rai, who contended at last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic before tying for second, made six of his nine birdies on the front nine (his second nine holes). Pan’s highlight was a 100-foot pitch-in eagle at the par-4 14th hole from the rough.
Hayden Springer, who opened the tournament with a 12-under 59 — the 14th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history — followed that with an even-par 71. He started on the back nine and was 3 under through 11 holes before consecutive bogeys, his first two of the tournament.
After a brief recovery with a short birdie putt at the par-4 fifth hole, Springer had trouble in the greenside rough at No. 6 and made a double bogey 6.
The group tied for fourth place with Springer at 12 under also includes Sungjae Im of South Korea (64), Eric Cole (68), Davis Thompson (67), Denny McCarthy (66) and amateur Luke Clanton (67). A golfer at Florida State, Clanton tied for 10th at the Rocket Mortgage and is playing on a sponsor exemption for the second consecutive week.
Two-time John Deere champion Jordan Spieth posted a 67 to move to 6 under, one shot above the projected cut line. Notables expected to miss the cut include Daniel Berger (4 under), Matt Kuchar (3 under) and Nick Dunlap (3 under), who won as an amateur earlier this season at The American Express in the California desert.
–Field Level Media
