Dufner Takes Round 2 Lead At Byron Nelson

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Jason Dufner’s 4-under 66 on Friday moved him to 7-under 133 and a one-stroke lead over six players at the HP Byron Nelson Championship.

Dufner’s first seven rounds at the HP Byron Nelson were in the 70s, but he has since posted his last three rounds in the 60s (69/R4/2011, 67-66/2012).

Dufner holds the 36-hole lead/co-lead for the fourth time this season (Transitions Championship, Masters Tournament, Zurich Classic of New Orleans, HP Byron Nelson Championship) and the seventh time in his career. He recently won for the first time after holding the 36-hole lead at the 2012 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Dufner is currently No. 12 in the FedExCup standings. After missing the cut in his first start of his season at the Sony Open in Hawaii, he has since reeled off 12 consecutive made cuts.

The last 36-hole leader/co-leader to go on to win the HP Byron Nelson Championship was Rory Sabbatini (2009). The second-round leader/co-leader has won just five times in 20 stroke-play events this season, most recently Jason Dufner at

the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

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Dallas resident Chad Campbell carded a bogey-free 4-under 66 on Friday to move within one stroke of

the lead. It is his best round since a second-round 65 en route to missing the 54-hole cut at the Humana Challenge. A T24 at the RBC Heritage represents Campbell’s only top-25 finish in 13 previous starts this season. Campbell is coming off of a missed cut at last week’s PLAYERS Championship. Campbell, a four-time TOUR winner, is in search of his first victory since the 2007 True South Classic. He is making his 11th consecutive start at the HP Byron Nelson Championship, with top-20 finishes in 2006 (5th) and 2007 (T13).

Dallas resident (lives “about a 5-wood away from Chad Campbell”) and first-round leader Ryan Palmer carded an even-par 70 on Friday, falling into a six-way tie for second place. He returns to the HP Byron Nelson Championship having lost on the first hole of a playoff to Keegan Bradley in last year’s event. Palmer is making his 13th start of the season this week. His lone top-10 finish came three weeks ago at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a T4. Palmer is coming off a missed cut at last week’s PLAYERS Championship.

A three-time TOUR winner, Palmer is in search of his first title since the 2010 Sony Open in Hawaii. Palmer is making his ninth consecutive start at the HP Byron Nelson Championship, dating to 2004. Previous to last year’s runner-up finish, his only other made cut at TPC Four Seasons Resort was a T73 in 2006.

Matt Kuchar, winner of THE PLAYERS Championship last week, moved to 6-under 134 after a 2-under 68 on Friday, despite going 4-over in a four-hole stretch on Nos. 12-15 (bogey-par-double bogey-bogey).

Kuchar, No. 6 in the FedExCup standings, has yet to miss a cut in five HP Byron Nelson Championships (T39-2007, T42-2008, T39-2009, T6-2011). Kuchar notches his PGA TOUR-leading 18th consecutive made cut.

Defending champion Keegan Bradley followed up a 3-under 67 with a 2-under 68 on Friday to sit just two strokes behind Dufner. He is seeking to become the first repeat winner of the HP Byron Nelson Championship since Tom Watson won three in a row from 1978-80. In 2011, Bradley became the second consecutive player to win the event in his first start (Jason Day-2010) and the event’s first-ever rookie winner.

A year ago, after entering the final round trailing Ryan Palmer by four strokes, Bradley carded a 2-under 68 to finish regulation tied with Palmer at 3-under 277. He then two-putted for par from 54′ 6″ to defeat Palmer on the first hole of a playoff to win the 2011 HP Byron Nelson Championship, winning his first-career playoff and becoming the first rookie winner of the event.

1995 HP Byron Nelson Championship winner Ernie Els is making his first visit to the event since a T13 in 2006. He owns four top-10 finishes in eight starts (1-1995, T4-2002, T7-2004, T10-2005). He opened with rounds of 70-69 this week and sits T34.

Phil Mickelson is making his 14th start at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and first since a T3 finish in 2007. His win in 1996 is one of four top-10 finishes at the event (1-1996, T6-1998, T2-2000, T3-2007). He is currently 1-under 139 after rounds of 70-69, including a double-bogey on the par-4 18th hole to end his round on Friday.

The 36-hole cut was made at 2-over 142, with 79 players advancing to the weekend. With more than 78 players making the cut, a 54-hole cut will be made following the third round to reduce the field to the low 70 and ties.

Second-Round Leaderboard

Jason Dufner 67-66—133 (-7)

Chad Campbell 68-66—134 (-6)

Ryan Palmer 64-70—134 (-6)

Matt Kuchar 66-68—134 (-6)

Pat Perez 67-67—134 (-6)

Dicky Pride 66-68—134 (-6)

Marc Leishman 65-69—134 (-6)

View our HPBNC Round 2 Photo Gallery

View our HPBNC Round 1 Photo Gallery