Palmer races into a two-shot lead
American golfer sinks hits an eight-under 63 in the second round of the Deutsche Bank event to stay ahead of the pack.
American Ryan Palmer, whose putting has been razor sharp for the past six weeks, upstaged some of golf’s biggest names as he surged into a two-shot lead at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
The 37-year-old Texan, seeking a fourth PGA Tour victory, reeled off four successive birdies midway through the opening round and signed off by sinking an 18-foot putt on his final hole for an eight-under-par 63 at the TPC Boston.
While world number one Rory McIlroy squandered a red-hot start with a messy finish to card a 70, Palmer mixed nine birdies with a lone bogey to seize control in the second of the PGA Tour’s four lucrative FedExCup playoff events.
Keegan Bradley gave his Ryder Cup prospects a timely boost as he fired an opening 65 to finish a stroke in front of fellow Americans Webb Simpson and Chesson Hadley and Australian Jason Day.
Palmer, however, delivered the day’s standout performance, barely missing a putt on a firm TPC Boston layout as he continued to benefit from some advice given to him last month by his compatriot Shawn Stefani.
Palmer’s most recent PGA Tour win came at the 2010 Sony Open in Hawaii.