After a strong five-under-par first round, Pádraig Harrington struggled in the second round of the Regions Tradition as the 54-year-old posted a topsy turvy two-over-par 74 around Greystone Golf & Country Club in Alabama to take himself to three-under-par.
Harrington started well, making birdie at the first and third holes before a missed green at the par-3 fourth saw him make bogey.
Two more bogeys and a birdie came as Harrington closed out the front nine – sitting even-par at the turn. Again it was steady for Harrington with a birdie coming at the par-5 13th but it all went wrong at the 14th.
A loose teeball forced a drop from Harrington as the four-time PGA TOUR Champions major winner made a double bogey, before adding another bogey at the next par-3 – the 17th. Harrington sits T29, 11-shots back from the lead.
Tyrone’s Darren Clarke bettered his first round of 74 with an even-par second round on Friday. It was a safe round for Clarke, as the 57-year-old three birdies and three bogeys to sit T59 at two-over-par for the week.
Stewart Cink shot his second straight seven-under-par 65 on Friday to take a two stroke lead into round as the American has been really firing on all cylinders.
Starting on the back nine, Cink made four birdies before adding four more and a bogey. Cink won the major Senior PGA Championship two weeks ago in Florida for his third victory of the year on PGA TOUR Champions.
“I executed some nice shots,” Cink said. “I made a long putt on 17. Had a couple two-putt birdies, a couple pretty simple up-and-downs. It was really nothing for the history books, it was just some good play,” he added.
Cink is followed be Charlie Wi who sits in second place at 12-under, posting back-to-back 66s.
“It was a pleasant surprise,” said Wi, winless on PGA Tour Champions. “I ran off five in a row from the beginning. I don’t think I’ve ever done that, so it was nice to get off to a really nice start. A little disappointing to make a couple bogeys out there, but overall I played really well.”
There is a three-way tie for third as Thongchai Jaidee, Retief Goosen, and Alex Cejka all sit at 11-under.
Defending champion Ángel Cabrera was tied for 20th at five-under, following an opening 72 with a 67.
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