Sung Kang holds early lead in Shell Houston Open; Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott likely to miss cut

HUMBLE, Texas -- South Korea's Sung Kang blistered the Tournament Course at the Golf Club of Houston with a 9-under-par 63 on Friday and sits at 16 under with a six-stroke lead after the early wave of golfers completed second-round play at the Shell Houston Open.

Kang, a 29-year old journeyman professional who entered the week ranked 202nd in the world, has owned the course here over the first two days. His round on Friday (which began on the back-nine) included seven birdies and an eagle, which he garnered with a 30-foot putt on the par-5 eighth hole. Kang's only bogey in the first two rounds was his final hole on Thursday, when he three-putted from 42 feet.

Hudson Swafford and Russell Henley, who both shot 67s on Friday, are a distant second at 10-under par. Robert Streb, with a 65, posted the second-best score of the second round but is way back at 2 under for the tournament.

Among those players assured of missing the cut -- which was projected to be 1-under par -- are world No. 8 Adam Scott of Australia (after a 77 on Friday), Ernie Els of South Africa (75), No. 6 Jordan Spieth (also with a 77 in the second round), No. 12 Patrick Reed, Rafa Cabrera Bello of Spain and No. 5 Henrik Stenson of Sweden.