List, Lovemark tied at Honda Classic; Woods 4 back

Luke List took advantage of the first tee time of the day to post a 4-under round of 66 on Friday and shares the lead with Jamie Lovemark after two rounds of the Honda Classic at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Lovemark followed an opening-round 68 with a 69 on Friday to climb into a tie with List at 3-under for the tournament.

Webb Simpson, who held a share of the first-round lead, is a shot back along with Tommy Fleetwood, Russell Henley and Rory Sabbatini. Lovemark and Sabbatini are the only players to post two rounds in the 60s.

Tiger Woods is among a group of 10 players tied for 14th at 1-over.

List was in the first group of the day to tee off at 6:45 on the 10th hole. He birdied five of his first 13 holes playing in a twosome with Thomas Pieters and was off the course more than five hours before the players in the afternoon wave finished their second rounds.

“It was barely light when we teed off, and in a twosome, so we kind of had to pace ourselves so we wouldn’t be waiting too much when we made the turn,” List told the Golf Channel. “I’m really pleased with the way I played.”

Pieters is at 1-under along with Daniel Berger, Louis Oosthuizen and fourth-ranked Justin Thomas. Berger held the lead at 5-under with consecutive birdies at Nos. 3 and 4, but gave a shot back at No. 5 and then bogeyed three holes on the difficult back nine. For the second consecutive day, Berger had to roll up a pant leg to hit a shot out of the edge of the water.

“It just feels like you’re getting punched in the face on every hole,” Berger said. “There are no easy holes out here, so you have to be mentally prepared to play 18 hard holes.”

Thomas’ scorecard included 17 pars. He was rolling along until getting bit by a double bogey at the 16th.

“I played really well today,” Thomas said. “I don’t know why it was so much harder, the wind wasn’t as severe (as Thursday). To have 3-under leading after two rounds — that’s often the cut (line) out here.”

Large galleries continued to follow Woods, who began the round at even par before a bogey at No. 2. He rallied with a pair of birdies to make the turn in 1-under 34. Woods was cruising along until he reached the infamous “Bear Trap.”

Woods hit his tee shot on the par-3 15th hole into the water, and took a double bogey when his bogey putt slid left of the hole. He then three-putted for bogey on the 16th hole. However, he rebounded with a 5-iron to within 12 feet on the treacherous par-3 17th hole and converted the birdie to get back to 1-over for the tournament.

Woods has now made the cut in two of his first three tournaments of the year.

“I made two bad swings, and it cost me, what, three shots there,” Woods said. “Overall, it was a good grind out there. It was tough … it’s tough to make putts out there. But the key is to keep hitting balls onto the greens and give myself looks at it. I did that for most of the day.”

Rory McIlroy shot his second consecutive 2-over 72 and enters the weekend seven shots off the lead at 4-over. He finished one shot inside the 5-over cut line.

Defending champion Rickie Fowler was not as fortunate. His 76 on Friday put him at 7-over for the tournament and in a tie for 86th. Fowler backed himself into a corner with six bogeys through his first nine holes after starting on No. 10. He was still sitting on the cut line before a double bogey on his 15th hole of the day dropped him to 7-over.

PGA National continues to be one of the biggest stories of the tournament. Woods has routinely commented on the sand on the putting surfaces preventing players from spinning the ball, and nearly every player has mentioned how difficult the greens have become as the week has progressed.

“This golf course is winning so far this week,” said List. “And I think whoever hangs around the hardest is going to come out on top on Sunday.”

NOTES: Patton Kizzire did not fare well playing in Woods’ group Friday. The only two-time winner on Tour this season shot an 8-over 78 to miss the cut at 12-over. … List and Pieters played in a twosome after Danny Lee withdrew on Thursday due to undisclosed personal reasons.

–Field Level Media