Swafford one ahead at La Quinta, Mickelson four back

ByReuters

Published 20/01/2017 at 23:30 GMT

American journeyman Hudson Swafford, seeking his first PGA Tour title, continued to reap the benefits of hard work on his swing as he earned a one-shot lead after Friday's second round of the $5.8 million CareerBuilder Challenge in La Quinta, California.

Eurosport

Image credit: Eurosport

On a rare wet and cold day in the California desert, Swafford birdied three of the four par-fives to card a seven-under 65 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course, one of three venues hosting the pro-am event formerly called the Bob Hope Classic.

Swafford, who produced good form last week to tie for 13th at the Sony Open in Hawaii, posted a 14-under total of 130, with first-round leader Dominic Bozzelli and New Zealand's Danny Lee equal second on 13-under.

PGA Tour rookie Bozzelli, the only player in the field to go bogey-free after 36 holes, fired a 67 at La Quinta Country Club where South Korea-born Lee returned an eight-birdie 64.

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Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson, a perennial fan favourite at the tournament where he is the biggest name competing this week, ended the day four strokes off the pace after a 66 on the rain-softened Nicklaus layout.

Swafford, who has made the cut in all five of his starts on the 2016-17 PGA Tour but still languishes outside the top 200 on the world rankings, was delighted to maintain good form as he racked up seven birdies in a bogey-free display.

"I hit a lot of good quality iron shots, hit a lot of good putts ... some that went in, some that lipped out," he told Golf Channel. "Just gave myself a lot of chances."

"I've kind of got my golf swing more up and down the plane, instead of a little laid off," Swafford said of his recent work with swing coach Scott Hamilton. "Just really focusing on rhythm with everything I do.

"It's really coming together. I've seen a lot of good iron shots and my tee ball has been really good, I haven't really been in bad position off the tee ... and the putter feels really good in my hands."

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