Reuters
Boston, Sept 6: Former winner Charley Hoffman earned a three-shot lead after the second round at the Deutsche Bank Championship here Saturday, while fellow American Jordan Spieth missed consecutive cuts for the first time in his career.
Hoffman took advantage of his early tee time to gather nine birdies for an eight-under-par 63 at the Boston TPC where he won in 2010. He posted a 12-under 130 halfway total, with Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe (68) the closest pursuer on nine-under.
Australian Jason Day, who has won three times in his last four events, including the PGA Championship, sat six shots back in a tie for 10th after successive 68s.
Masters and US Open champion Spieth missed his second straight cut with a 73 for his fourth above-par round in a row. It is the first time in his pro career that the 22-year-old Spieth has missed successive cuts.
With the PGA Tour taking a one-week break before the third event of the FedExCup playoffs, the BMW Championship near Chicago, the World No. 2 plans to forget about golf for a few days before getting back to work.
Hoffman, a three-time PGA Tour winner who was on the leaderboard for a long time at the Masters this year before finishing equal ninth, started well with eight birdies on his opening 14 holes, including a near hole-in-one on the par-three 11th, his second hole.
Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy was among those with a lot of ground to make up after the World No.1 one shot 74 to fall 14 strokes behind.
