Some say it’s lonely at the top, but that’s not currently the case in Puerto Rico.
Emiliano Grillo, Viktor Hovland and Josh Teater joined first-round leader Kyle Stanley at 10 under Friday to split the 36-hole lead at the Puerto Rico Open.
Stanley, who shot a first-round 64 and held the solo lead entering the second round at Coco Beach Golf & Country Club, finished Friday with a 70. Grillo and Teater each shot 68s while Hovland posted the low score for the day among the leaders with a 6-under 66.
SCORES: Leaderboard
After a first-round 68, Hovland got hot quickly on Friday. The 22-year-old was 5 under on the front nine— the best front nine score of his professional career so far— after carding an eagle on No. 2 and birdies on 4, 8 and 9. He was 6 under on the round after a fourth birdie on 11, but notched his sole bogey of the day on 15. The former Oklahoma State golfer recorded his fifth birdie of the day on 17 to share the lead. Hovland entered the day T-14 at 4 under.
Viktor Hovland has played 58 rounds on TOUR.
Friday's start at the @PuertoRicoOpen was the best front nine score of his career.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/vOUfPbnqay
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 21, 2020
The leaders sit one stroke ahead of Sam Ryder in fifth.
David Lingmerth, Ben Martin, Rhein Gibson and Martin Laird are tied for sixth at 8 under. Nine golfers are knotted at 7 under (T-10).
Third-round television coverage of the Puerto Rico Open begins Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.