American Maverick McNealy settled comfortably atop the Fortinet Championship standings after round two on Friday in Napa, Calif.
The 25-year-old chopped eight par 72 shots on his second 18 hole of the competition. Starting his day on the 10th pennant, McNealy rigged five birdies in nine holes, before committing three consecutive bogeys. He recovered, however, with four birdies and an eagle.
He will start the rounds of the weekend with a two-stroke lead over a duo of golfers, American Beau Hossler and Chilean Mito Pereira.
Tied for second after a round, Canadian Adam Hadwin had a catastrophic second day of activity, so he was one of the victims of the ax. Hadwin had two birdies, against five bogueys and a double bugy, to hand in a card of 77 (+5). With a score of 143 (-1) Hadwin is not the only Maple Leaf representative who did not qualify for the third and fourth rounds.
By virtue of respective scores of 143 and 146 (+2), Roger Sloan and David Hearn also gave up the Fortinet Championship.
Taylor Pendrith is the top ranked Maple Leaf member. His card of 68 (-4) on Friday allowed him to jump 53 positions and settle in 24th place, tied with a host of opponents, seven strikes from the leader.
Adam Svensson (140; -4), along with Nick Taylor and Michael Gligic (141; -3) are the other Canadians who will take part in the rounds this weekend.
LPGA: Brooke M. Henderson slips
At the Cambia Classic in Portland, Oregon, Canada’s Brooke M. Henderson was unable to stay in the lead.
She finally handed in a second card of 76 (+4), which still allows her to qualify for the rounds of the weekend, thanks to a cumulative score of 146 (+2). On her second outing, she had a meager birdie, against three bogueys and a double bugy.
South Korean Jin Young Ko leads after 36 holes. The leader had six birdies and only committed a buggy to afford a single shot priority before round three. The Scottish Gemma Dryburgh occupies this second echelon.
Despite a painful round of 79 (+7), the other representative of the maple leaf avoided being one of the victims of the ax. However, she will start the last two rounds at the back of the pack, with a cumulative 150 (+6), 14 headshots.
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