Sergio Garcia found scintillating form to seize a one-stroke lead after the second round of the US PGA Tour’s $A9.02 million Deutsche Bank Championship.
The Spaniard rolled in an 18-footer for eagle at the 18th to cap a seven-under 64 and take command at 13-under 129 in the second of the tour’s season ending playoff series tournaments.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson matched the low round of the tournament with an eight-under 63 to be tied in second place with American Robert Castro, who notched his second straight 65.
Australia’s Masters champion ASdam Scott bounced back from an opening 73 with a 66 but was still 10 shots behind Garcia, with a host of players between them.
Garcia said he considered skipping the tournament but wanted to solidify his place in the playoff points standings, especially after some disappointing showings in August.
Garcia came into the week at 59th in the playoff standings, with the top 70 due to advance to the third event, the BMW Championship, in two weeks and only the 30 making the Tour Championship.
“We decided to come here and make a little bit of an extra effort of playing obviously five weeks in a row, which I don’t usually enjoy very much,” Garcia said.
“The summer has been tough,” added Garcia, who has endured a dip in form since the off-course controversy that engulfed him in May over a racially tinged remark involving Tiger Woods.
“It’s been a little bit difficult for me. But I’m trying hard to keep going, to keep doing the right things.
“At the end of the day that’s the only thing I can ask myself for — give my best effort out there. Some days you feel better than others.”
Recently crowned PGA Champion Jason Dufner and fellow American Matt Kuchar were tied for fourth on 132, each posting his second straight 66 while US Open champion Justin Rose was a shot further back and tied with Americans Jordan Spieth (66) and Harris English (67).
In all 18 players were within five strokes of Garcia’s lead. They included overnight co-leader Phil Mickelson, but only thanks to the British Open champion’s ability to hang in when his game deserted him.
Mickelson survived two bogeys and a double-bogey on the back nine to shoot an even-par 71 and join a group of 11 players on eight-under 134.
“I was able to find it there in the end,” said Mickelson, who rebounded from his double-bogey five at the par-three 16th to finish birdie-birdie.
World number one Woods carded a 67 that put him in a group of 10 players on 135.
