Keith Mitchell leads Shane Lowry by one at Truist Championship

Flourtown – Keith Mitchell posted a three-under 67 to hang on to a one-shot lead halfway through the PGA Tour’s Truist Championship on May 9 in rainy Flourtown, Pennsylvania.

The American jumped in front on May 8 by firing a 61, but the scoring was more muted across the board for the second round of the US$20 million (S$26 million) signature event at the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course.

A run of three birdies early in his round, including putts of 25 and 18 feet, helped Mitchell reach 12-under 128 through two days. He is narrowly ahead of Irishman Shane Lowry, who posted the round of the day with a 65 to get to 11 under.

Mitchell, 33, said he is trying to get more comfortable playing from in front, adding: “Playing well the last couple Thursdays, it’s just I feel like I’ve been there now three or four times.

“So trying to just build off of that and build into Friday, then Saturday and Sunday. It’s a four-round tournament. They don’t give any points or money out on Thursday, so I’ve got to keep it going.”

He did that on May 9 by neutralising his mistakes. Mitchell made two bogeys and in both cases followed them with birdies on the next hole.

“Huge. If you get going in the wrong direction with momentum on a day like today, it can really catch you. Hit two really good putts after I made bogeys,” Mitchell said.

Lowry, meanwhile, had six birdies to just one bogey on May 9. He ranked second in the field in strokes gained on approach and hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation.

Sepp Straka of Austria (67) is third at 10 under, and there is a gap before a star-filled tie for fourth at seven under with Americans Justin Thomas (67), Collin Morikawa (70), Patrick Cantlay (68), Akshay Bhatia (70), Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (67) and South Korea’s Kim Si-woo (68).

McIlroy had a busy day with six birdies and three bogeys, while Morikawa overcame a double-bogey to shoot an even-par round. McIlroy has won this tournament four times at Quail Hollow Club, which is hosting next week’s PGA Championship instead of the Truist.

On the LPGA Tour, Nelly Korda used a late birdie spurt to claw her way into a tie for the lead at the Americas Open on May 9 in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The world No. 1 American shot her second straight round of 68 at Liberty National Golf Club to move to eight-under 136 for the event, tied with compatriot Andrea Lee, who also carded a 68, and South Korean Lee So-mi, who shot a 67 on May 9.

The trio are a stroke ahead of six players tied at seven under – Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia (69), Spaniards Julia Lopez Ramirez and Carlota Ciganda (both 70), American Jenny Bae (70), France’s Celine Boutier (71) and Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul (73). REUTERS