Reigning US Open champion Dustin Johnson fired a nine-under-par 63 Friday to match US compatriot Roberto Castro for the lead after the second round of the US PGA Tour BMW Championship.
Johnson set a course record at the 7,516-yard Crooked Stick layout in Indianapolis, Indiana to stand on 14-under 130 after 36 holes in the penultimate event of the season-ending US PGA playoffs, reports BSS.
“I putted well,” Johnson said. “Any time you shoot that good a score, you putt really well and did I. Drove it good, hit a lot of good iron shots, but I really rolled the putter nicely.”
Castro, of Peruvian and Costa Rican heritage, fired his second consecutive 65 to share the lead as he bids for his first tour triumph.
“It was a good start,” Castro said. “There are still a lot of holes but it’s a good way to get into the weekend.”
England’s Paul Casey was third on 133, one stroke ahead of Americans J.B. Holmes and Chris Kirk, with another three strokes back to sixth-placed rivals Sergio Garcia of Spain and Americans Matt Kuchar, Kevin Na and Ryan Palmer.
Johnson started his historic round with an eight-foot birdie at the first hole and dropped a 10-foot birdie putt at the third, then added a 45-yard eagle chip-in from a greenside bunker at the par-5 ninth to signal a charge.
A tap-in birdie at the par-5 11th was followed by a nine-foot birdie putt at the par-3 13th, a 31-foot birdie putt at the 14th and he rolled in a 25-footer to eagle the par-5 15th.
