Jason Kokrak builds three-stroke lead in Miami
MIAMI, Fla. – Jason Kokrak likes to know how everybody is doing on the golf course, so the big-hitting 26-year old watches the leaderboard during his rounds. What he’s seen this week is his name established clearly at the top.Kokrak added a 5-under 66 to a first-day 63 at the Miccosukee Championship and moved into sole possession of the 36-hole lead. Kokrak’s 13-under 129 total is not only a Tournament record at the halfway point, but it’s three shots better Luke List (66) and Jonas Blixt (65), his nearest challengers.
“I’m a watcher, I like to know,” said Kokrak, winner of the Albertsons Boise Open last month. “I like to put that pressure on myself because I want to know if I should play out to the middle of the green or take dead aim and hit it.”
Kokrak has been using his length off the tee – he’s No. 1 in Average Driving Distance on Tour this year – to his advantage this week at the Miccosukee Golf & Country Club.
“The par-5s are all reachable and on the long par-4s I’m still hitting 8-, 9-iron or wedge into the greens where some of the guys have to use 5- and 6-irons,” said the leader. “I think length is a huge advantage. There are some holes out here where we can play aggressive.”
Kokrak, who started the year with conditional status, has been hammering his way around the Nationwide Tour since early summer when he finally started getting into Tournaments. He made the cut in nine of his previous 13 starts and has a pair of top-10 finishes to go along with his first career win.
“I’ve only had half a season out here so I’m still proving myself a little bit,” he said. “I want to finish off strong and hopefully win again before we’re done. Hopefully we’ll throw up another 63 and put this thing away.”
Kokrak relied on his putting to grab a share of Thursday’s lead with Daniel Chopra (72), but was a little more solid on Friday while moving into first place. He hit more fairways and more greens while creating some distance on the field.
Chasing him are former college standouts List (Vanderbilt) and Blixt (Florida State).
Brett Wetterich, who became a father for the second time on Thursday, is four shots back heading into the weekend. Jin Park, Brad Elder, Carl Paulson, Rahil Gangjee, Tyrone Van Aswegen and Matt Every are five off the pace.
Second-round notes:
* Marco Dawson (76) withdrew prior to the start of the second round. Dawson is No. 26 on the money list.
* A total of 69 players made the 36-hole cut, which came at 3-under-par 139.
* Jason Kokrak’s 13-under 129 total is the best start in Tournament history. Marc Turnesa was 12-under and led by four strkes at the halfway point in 2007 and went on to finish at minus-15 and win by one.
* This is the first time this year that Jason Kokrak has held the 36-hole lead. He was in a two-way tie for the lead after 54 holes at the Albertsons Boise Open last month and went on to record his first career win.
* Jason Kokrak, No. 15 on the money list, could move to as high as No. 4 on the money list with a win this week. First place is worth $90,000.
* In addition to his win at the Albertsons Boise Open last month, Jason Kokrak has two other top-10 finishes in his 13 total starts. He finished T9 at the Utah Championship at the end of July and T4 at the Midwest Classic in Kansas City three weeks later.
* Greg Owen had a pair of eagles on the par-5 5th and 10th holes today. Owen is only the fifth player in Tournament history to register two eagles during a single round. Owen shot a 3-under 68 and is minus-5 and Tx.
* Mylan Classic winner Gary Christian also had a pair of eagles at Nos. 5 and 10. Christian is also at 5-under and Tx.
* Leading money winner J.J. Killeen (70-70) missed the cut this week by one shot. This is only the third missed cut of the year in 23 starts for Killeen, who won back-to-back events this summer at the Utah Championship and the Cox Classic. Killeen is assured of being No. 1 on the money list come Sunday because the only two players who could have passed him -- No. 2 Mathew Goggin (73-69) and No. 3 Ted Potter, Jr. (72-69) – both missed the cut as well.
* 23 of the top-25 money winners were entered this week and seven of them did not make it to the weekend. Among those missing the cut were: J.J. Killeen (No. 1), Mathew Goggin (No. 2), Ted Potter, Jr. (No. 3), Kyle Reifers (No. 13) Steve Wheatcroft (No. 14), Scott Brown (No. 17) and Josh Broadaway (No. 23).
* Here’s a quick look to see where the current leaders stand on the money list at the halfway point:
1. Jason Kokrak 63-66—129 (-13) No. 15
2. Luke Listt 66-66—132 (-10) No. 31
Jonas Blixt 67-65—132 (-10) No. 8
4. Brett Wetterich 65-68—133 (-9) No. 24
5. Jin Park 68-66—134 (-8) No. 91
Brad Elder 69-65—134 (-8) No. 80
Carl Paulson 69-65—134 (-8) No. 125
Rahil Gangjee 67-67—134 (-8) No. 95
Tyrone Van Asegen 65-69—134 (-8) No. 68
Matt Every 70-64—134 (-8) No. 16
* There is also a good deal of attention being paid to the top-60 on the money list. Only the top-60 money winners following next week’s Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open will advance to the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island the following week and have a chance to earn their PGA Tour cards for the 2012 season. Here’s how the “bubble list” list looks after 36 holes:
56. Charles Warren 72-69—141 m/c
57. Andrew Buckle 73-67—140 m/c
58. Alistair Presnell 69-69—138 T52
59. James Hahn 70-70—140 m/c
60. Nicholas Thompson 70-67—137 T23
61. Craig Bowden 69-69—138 T40
62. Jon Mills 71-69—140 m/c
63. James Sacheck 69-74—143 m/c
64. Doug LaBelle II 71-69—140 m/c
65. Josh Geary 73-73—146 m/c
66. Tim Wilkinson 68-69—137 T23
* 23 of the top-25 money winners are competing this week. The only two that are missing are Danny Lee (No. 4) and John Malliner (No. 9). This week’s field also includes 46 of the top 50 and 93 of the top 100 money winners.
* Miguel Carballo, winner of last week’s Children’s Hospital Classic, posted scores of 69-70 and is T52 heading into the weekend.
* Defending champion Jason Gore stumbled to a 2-over 73 after opening with a 66 Thursday. Gore is 3-under 139 and T52.
* Jonas Blixt is the only player in the field without a bogey through 36 holes.
* The 69 players to make the cut is the most in the Tournament’s 8-year history.
* The 3-under cut matches the lowest in Tournament history (2003).
* J.J. Killeen missed the cut despite leading the field in putting – 49 putts total. Killeen’s problems came elsewhere. He hit 20 of 28 fairways (71.4%) but only 18 of 36 greens in regulation (50%). Killeen’s GIR percentage put him T140 in that category, or tied for last in the field of 144 players.
* Jamie Lovemark, the 2010 Nationwide Tour Player of the Year, is making his first start in several months. Lovemark has been plagued by back problems and hasn’t played since he withdrew after shooting an 80 in the opening round of the Shell Houston Open. Lovemark posted scores of 72-69 but missed the cut.
* There is only one full-field event on the schedule after this week – the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open, Oct. 20-23.
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