Advertisement

Tyrone Van Aswegen holds early second-round lead at Travelers

By Gethin Coolbaugh, The Sports Xchange
Tyrone Van Aswegen. (YouTube)
Tyrone Van Aswegen. (YouTube)

CROMWELL, Conn. -- Tyrone Van Aswegen shot a bogey-free, 4-under-par 66 to claim a one-shot lead after his second round Friday morning round at the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.

The South African sits at 7-under 133 after an opening-round 67 Thursday, which placed him in a 15-way tie for ninth.

Advertisement

Jerry Kelly, one of three 18-hole co-leaders, is at 6-under 134 after an even-par 70 Friday to remain tied with Vaughn Taylor and Andrew Loupe for second.

Taylor and Loupe, the other 18-hole leaders, tee off at 1:25 p.m. ET and 1:45 p.m. respectively.

Van Aswegen, the world No. 348, opened with eight straight pars before rolling in three consecutive birdies from Nos. 9-11. He claimed sole possession of the lead with another at No. 16.

The 34-year-old has never won on the PGA Tour and has two professional victories. His best finish came at the 2015 Frys.com Open, where he tied for third.

Kelly briefly held the lead at 8 under with his birdie on No. 13, but after a par on the next hole he finished bogey-bogey-birdie-bogey. He had five bogeys and five birdies on the round.

Advertisement

The 49-year-old Kelly is seeking his fourth PGA Tour win and first since the 2009 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Bubba Watson, the defending and two-time Travelers champion, began the day tied for ninth but mixed three bogeys with a birdie from Nos. 12-15 before firing a bogey-free back nine with two birdies to shoot a 70. The sixth-ranked Watson is tied for 18th at 137.

England's Paul Casey, who lost the Travelers title to Watson in a playoff last year, shot a 67 and is tied for fifth at 135.

Latest Headlines