HUMBLE, Texas — Charley Hoffman remained one stroke clear after the weather-hit second round of the Houston Open Friday, despite bogeying his final hole, while Jordan Spieth endured a frustrating day to finish six shots off the pace.
One ahead of the chasing pack overnight, American Hoffman fired a two-under-par 70 to post a 10-under total of 134 in the final PGA Tour event before next week’s US Masters, the first of the year’s four major championships.
Hoffman, who had opened with a scintillating 64, was two ahead with one hole to play but ran up a five at the par-four 18th after finding a bunker off the tee and failing to reach the green in two.
That left the three-time PGA Tour winner a stroke in front of compatriot Jamie Lovemark (68), with fellow Americans Chez Reavie (70) and Dustin Johnson (71) a further shot back at the Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas.
Welshman Jamie Donaldson and American Roberto Castro were also at eight under with three holes remaining when play was suspended for the day in fading light. Along with 25 other players, they will complete the second round Saturday.
World No. 2 Spieth, looking to hone his game ahead of his title defence at next week’s Masters, once again followed an impressive round with a mediocre one as he tagged a 73 to his opening 67 for 140.
The 22-year-old American mixed three birdies with four bogeys, three of them coming in his last seven holes, as he finished six strokes off the early pace.
Spieth won five PGA Tour titles last year, including two Majors, but that consistent excellence has given way of late to a series of poor rounds that have sabotaged him.
Among his lowlights this season, the Texan has posted rounds of 76 (Valspar Championship), 79 (Northern Trust Open) and 74 (Pebble Beach Pro-Am).
The cut was projected to fall at one-under 143 as the second round spilled over into Saturday after play was delayed by 90 minutes earlier Friday due to the threat of lightning.
Thompson shares lead
Lexi Thompson drained a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole Friday to join Japan’s Ai Miyazato atop the leaderboard after two rounds of the ANA Inspiration, the first major on the LPGA calendar.
Thompson posted a four-under par 68 at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California, joining overnight co-leader Miyazato on seven-under 137.
Miyazato, who had shared the first-round lead with Azahara Munoz, carded a two-under 70.
World No. 1 Lydia Ko carded a 68 to join a group sharing third one shot back.
Ko was tied with Norway’s Suzann Pettersen (67), South Koreans Park Sung-hyun (67) and Chun In-gee (69), South African Lee-Anne Pace (70) and American Lizette Salas (67).
South Korean Jang Ha-na, who won the Coates Championship and the HSBC Women’s Champions earlier this year for her first LPGA victories, posted a 70 and was two strokes back in a tie for ninth with US star Michelle Wie, Australian Minjee Lee, England’s Charley hull and South Korean Lee Bo-mee.
