While the leading score hasn’t changed much at the Valpsar Championship, the names at the top certainly have.
Here’s everything you missed from the Round 2 action at the Innisbrook Golf Resort’s Copperhead course.
Powered by a round of five-under-par 66 — the low score of the day — Casey launched himself 28 places up the leaderboard to share the view at the top with Austin Cook at six under par overall.
(Yesterday’s co-leaders, Joel Dahmen and Sepp Straka, led the field at five under par after the first round, but fell back to four under par and even par, respectively.)
Casey made four birdies, an eagle and a lone bogey en route to his 66.
The defending champ takes the lead.@Paul_Casey notches an ? to get to -7.
?: https://t.co/WywtRLOLiq pic.twitter.com/l8dw55pEcv
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 22, 2019
Casey broke a nearly nine-year PGA Tour win drought by winning the Valspar Championship last year. A win this year would mark his third career Tour victory.
Donald — a player who at one time held the top spot in the world ranking — is currently on a medical extension as he deals with back issues, and has slipped all the way to No. 919 in the world.
But the Englishman is having his best showing in nearly two years through 36 holes, shooting 67-70 to reach five under par overall, which is currently T3.
His last made cut was 376 days ago at this event in 2018.
Since then, @LukeDonald has battled injury and only made three TOUR starts.
He’s currently the solo leader @ValsparChamp.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/3ImE2DBqLo
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 22, 2019
Perhaps some good Florida vibes are the secret behind Donald’s good play. The Valspar Championship was the site of his last PGA Tour victory — all the way back in 2012.
The current World No. 1, Dustin Johnson, was three shots behind the leaders after the first round, and he’s a shot closer to them at the tournament’s halfway point after firing yet another round of two-under-par 69.
Ready …
Aim …
?#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/qeu3eTTHbs— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 22, 2019
Johnson is currently T6 — two shots behind the leaders. Remarkably, in the seven Tour events DJ has played since last October, he’s only finished outside the top 9 twice. If he continues this pace, that doesn’t seem like to change at the Valspar.
