Defending champion Paul Casey fired a five-under par 66 to grab a share of the 36-hole lead alongside American Austin Cook at the US PGA Tour Valspar Championship on Friday.
England’s Casey and Cook each stood on six-under 136 after two rounds at the Innisbrook Resort Copperhead course in Palm Harbor, Florida.
England’s Luke Donald, South Korean Im Sung-jae and American Scott Stallings were a stroke back on 137. India’s Anirban Lahiri was tied 23 with -1.
Donald had five birdies and four bogeys in his one-under 70, surrendering a one-shot lead with two bogeys in his last four holes. Im posted a 67 and Stallings a 68.
Casey, who edged Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed by a stroke last year for the crown, began on the back nine and promptly birdied three of his first four holes, sinking a 10-foot putt at 10 and landing his third shot inches from the cup before a tap-in at the par-5 11th.
Casey scored on the other par-5 holes as well, sinking a three-foot birdie putt at 14, a six-footer at the first before holing a 27-footer for eagle at the fifth.
“I feel really good about (my game) because last week was rubbish,” said Casey, who was stung by a missed cut at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
“I struggle a little bit around Sawgrass and that frustrated me, annoyed me, coming in here trying to defend my title, which I would love to do because I never defended a professional title, I would love to do that here.”
Casey’s lone bogey came on his closing ninth hole, finding bunkers with his first two shots and missing a six-footer for par.
Cook had five birdies and one bogey in his four-under 67. He opened with a birdie from seven feet, added a tap-in birdie at the par-4 third and then ran off three birdies in a row with 12-foot putts at the ninth and par-5 11th around one half as long to begin the back nine.
His only bogey came at 12 after finding a greenside bunker. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson was among three players on 138 after a 69 that included a double-bogey at the par-three 13th — where his tee short tee shot found the water.
Important scores:
136: Paul Casey (70-66), Austin Cook (69-67); 137: Scott Stallings (69-68), Im Sung-jae (70-67), Luke Donald (67-70); 138: Dustin Johnson (69-69), Joel Dahmen (66-72), Curtis Luck (70-68); 139: Roberto Castro (68-71), Lucas Glover (72-67), Shawn Stefani (68-71), Kramer Hickok (71-68), Rory Sabbatini (70-69), Jon Rahm (71-68).
140: Brandt Snedeker (70-70), Bubba Watson (69-71), Jim Furyk (69-71), Danny Willett (69-71), Ryan Blaum (73-67), Sam Saunders (71-69), Brian Stuard (68-72), Jason Kokrak (69-71). 141: T-23 : Anirban Lahiri (70-71) .
