Live leaderboard: Round 2 of Dell Technologies

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BRADENTON, Fla. — Webb Simpson ran off three straight late birdies for a share of the lead Thursday in the WGC-Workday Championship at Concession. Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau ran up some big numbers. RELATED: Leaderboard | Finau and Rahm pair up again at WGC-Workday Championship Simpson matched Matthew Fitzpatrick with a 6-under 66 at The Concession in the World Golf Championships event moved from Mexico City to Florida because of COVID-19 circumstances. Simpson’s finishing stretch included a wedge to 2 feet, a 30-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole and a two-putt birdie from about 40 feet on the par-5 17th. Fitzpatrick, who contended last week at Riviera, played bogey-free on the Jack Nicklaus design that had never been used for a PGA TOUR event. “Very pleased with the start,” Simpson said. “I worked on a couple things last week with putting alignment and with my driver and I saw good things from that today. You always want to see it first round back, but it doesn’t always happen that way, so I was happy to see like tough tee shots with trouble, really stepping up and making good swings. “And made a lot of putts today,” he added, “so that was a good feeling.” Johnson had his first Sunday round over par in a year when he shot 72 last week while in contention. The start at this World Golf Championship was even worse. He drove left into the trees on the 18th hole as he was making the turn, had to pitch out sideways, came up short and then failed to get up-and-down to take double bogey. He made another double bogey on No. 5 with a tee shot into the water. Johnson wasn’t alone in his struggles. DeChambeau also shot a 77, with his big trouble coming on the 16th. After a tee shot into the water, he went right of the fairway, came up short of the green and took three shots to get down for a triple bogey. Bubba Watson had a 77, while Matthew Wolff shot an 83 and withdrew. Brooks Koepka was a stroke out of the lead at 67 with Billy Horschel, Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner, who is playing for the first time since the Sony Open in Hawaii because his wife had their third child. “If you’re on, you’re going to have chances. You’re going to be really good with the tee ball or you’re going to have chances with your iron play,” Horschel said. “If you’re off with your ball-striking and you miss in some tough spots, you can look pretty silly.” Jon Rahm bogeyed the final hole late in the afternoon for a 68. Tony Finau, coming off a playoff loss to Max Homa last week at Riviera, also was at 68 with defending champion Patrick Reed, Wade Ormsby, Sungjae Im and Cameron Smith. Rory McIlroy had three bogeys in a 69. “I think with any new course it’s just a matter of getting comfortable with visuals and lines off tees, and then I think we’re all sort of learning the golf course a little bit as we go along,” McIlroy said. “Most TOUR events we go to, we basically know where the four pin positions are going to be and we can practice to those. “I think tee-to-green it’s pretty simple,” he said. “But then around the greens, I think it’s one of these places, the more you play it, the more you’ll just feel comfortable with it.” Justin Thomas one-putted his last four holes — three birdies and one par — to salvage a 73 after he had dropped four shots in a three-hole stretch on his first nine. The par was a 10-footer on the par-5 seventh after it took him two shots to get out of a fairway bunker. Homa, coming off the hometown win in Los Angeles, also had a 73. Patrick Cantlay, who leads the FedExCup, withdrew before the start of the round with stomach and dehydration issues.

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SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda – Nearly an hour after completing his second-round of 67 to get within the top 20 in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Graeme McDowell was still on the premises of Port Royal Golf Course. It had nothing to do with his golf. It had everything to do with his humanness. “This is pretty special,” said McDowell, solemnly. He was standing just off the ninth green, watching as the final pairing of the morning wave played its 18th hole. Now if there are only several hundred spectators a day being allowed into Port Royal GC because of COVID-19 regulations, every one of them appeared to be at the ninth green for the same reason McDowell was. Brian Morris’ story had inspired them. His strength had gripped them emotionally. Morris, 54, the head professional at Ocean View Golf Course in Bermuda, had a malignant brain tumor removed from the back of his skull two years ago. Doctors immediately determined that the Stage IV cancer had spread to Morris’ stomach, his esophagus, and into his neck. It is terminal. Yet, when the tournament sponsor to this week’s event offered Morris an exemption, he jumped at the opportunity, knowing very well there would be more tears shed than birdies made. “You know what, I’ll always have one PGA TOUR start to my name,” said Morris, whose scores of 89-92 were comprised of so many magical moments during an emotional 36 holes. “To see my family, my friends. I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again, you know? So, it means a lot. It’s huge,” he said. When the pairings came out, Morris discovered he’d play alongside his cousin, Michael Sims, the Bermuda native who starred at the University of Rhode Island, fashioned a brilliant amateur career, and played professionally for 12 years before leaving the game. But Sims, 42, loves his native land, took on the challenge of a local qualifier, got in, and enjoyed every footstep of his two-day walk alongside his cousin. “So special that I got to share it,” said Sims. “Brian’s such a fighter and you can’t help but smile or laugh when you’re with him.” For two days, the gallery following Morris’ every move was passionate and involved. They wore T-shirts emblazoned with “TEAM MORRIS” on the back and BKM on the front. The face of Bob Marley was prominent on the T-shirt and so was the title of arguably his grandest song, “One Love.” And while the song was not playing in the background as Morris and Sims stood on the final green, if you really let the moment embrace you, the power of Marley’s words echoed in your ears. “Let’s get together and feel all right.” As Morris stood over a 10-footer to try and save par, Sims stepped to the side, took out his phone and videoed it. Morris’ wife, Laurie, squeezed closer to the ropes, his family and friends stood anxiously and watched, and McDowell whispered, “This is so amazing.” Even the third member of the pairing, the vibrantly talented Sahith Theegala, appeared frozen, no matter that he had just made his third straight birdie to make the cut. He is 23 and arguably on the cusp of a brilliant and rich career, but he was consumed by this moment. “I got the chills. I was close to tears,” said Sahith. “It is a moment I will never forget. Such an eye-opener, that the game of golf is such a small part of life.” The putt went wide. Morris tapped in for bogey. The cheers roared. The applause started in unison, got louder, and kept going for several minutes. McDowell, who had only briefly met Morris in the locker room a few days earlier, was among those who continued to applaud, even as Sims organized a photo opportunity that seemingly attracted all of Bermuda. “It looks like Bermuda today,” McDowell had remarked, peering out at the priceless turquoise water that is a trademark here. But truth is, it felt like Bermuda. Island love and island warmth flowed forth and helped celebrate this moment with Brian Morris. “He’s a guy that everyone wants to be around,” said Sims. “That’s what Bermuda is.” Given a chance to exhale, Morris was asked what was next? He smiled. “Just back at it. Back to the hospital on Monday, get my chemo. Just try to live as long as I can.”

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