Jordan Spieth, Matt Wallace lead by two at Valero Texas Open

SAN DIEGO — Ryan Palmer is the 36-hole leader in the Farmers Insurance Open. Jon Rahm trails by one stroke after a 6-under 66 on Friday. And for the first time in 29 months, a PGA TOUR event will feature Tiger Woods on the weekend. Palmer finished eagle-birdie on the North Course at Torrey Pines for a 5-under 67. He had a one-shot lead over Rahm, the defending champion who birdied two of his last three holes on the North for a 66. Woods had to rally to make the cut in his return from a fourth back surgery. He was on the wrong side of the green on the par-5 ninth on the North and two-putted from 75 feet for birdie for a 71 to make the cut on the number.

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NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — J.T. Poston shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 on Friday to take the second-round lead in the PGA TOUR’s Barbasol Championship. RELATED: Louis Oosthuizen goes low to lead The Open Championship | Leaderboard Poston had a 13-under 131 total at rain-soaked Keene Trace in the tournament that was delayed twice Thursday because of rain and lightning. Because of the wet conditions, players were allowed to use preferred lies in the fairways. “It’s been really good,” Poston said. “Just ball-striking’s been a lot better than I’d say it has been the last few months. Just nice to give myself a lot of looks. They’re bent greens, it’s soft. Hit the ball close to the hole and you can make a few putts, too.” Poston had late birdies on the par-4 seventh and par-5 eighth in the round that began on No. 10. The 28-year-old former Western Carolina player won the 2019 Wyndham Championship in Greensboro for his lone PGA TOUR title. He’s comfortable on Keene Trace’s greens. “They’re a lot like what I grew up on in Hickory, North Carolina,” Poston said. “They’re bent and they’re about the same speed as what I’m probably used to when I was a kid. Just kind of brings back some good memories of putting on that putting green growing up. It just feels normal to me.” Ryan Armour and Joseph Bramlett were a stroke back, each shooting 67. “It was softer today,” Armour said. “Definitely that rain yesterday afternoon, the two rain delays we had, I was not getting any bounce on the driver, it was kind of hit and plug, which I would love it if it would bounce a little more, the length I hit it, but I’m still able to get to three of the par 5s, which is good for me.” Brian Stuard, tied for the first-round lead after a 64, shot a 69 to drop into a tie for fourth at 11 under with Taylor Pendrith (68), Luke List (68) and Seamus Power (68). “Today, obviously, wasn’t quite as good,” Stuard said. “I didn’t think I hit my irons as well as I did yesterday, but hung in there nicely and was able to kind of put together a good score, which is good.” Pendrith finished his late afternoon round in the rain. Defending champion Jim Herman was 7 under after a 70. He won in 2019, and the event was canceled last year. Will Grimmer, tied with Stuard for the lead after wrapping up an opening 64 in the morning, shot a 74 in the second round to drop to 6 under. Wilco Nienaber, the big-hitting South African who received a foreign exemption to play, had a 71 to get to 5 under. John Daly missed the cut with rounds of 76 and 70.

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Ian Poulter (+15000) … The 45-year-old from England just beat up on Rory McIlroy, Cameron Smith and fellow Masters Sleeper, Lanto Griffin, in the Group Stage of the Match Play. It’s the nearest object in his rearview mirror, so there’s enough positive reinforcement of his form upon arrival. His accuracy off the tee never hurts, but his experience in knowing where to place the ball in the fairways at Augusta National generates a higher expectation. He’s also cashed in all but one of 15 appearances and recorded top 25s in the last two. Lanto Griffin (+20000) … When the last Masters was contested in April in 2019, he was 521st in the Official World Golf Ranking. Yes, the likes of Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff still were in college, and Will Zalatoris was outside the top 1,500 in the OWGR, but Griffin’s trajectory never has resembled that of a wunderkind. Now 32 years of age and in just his third season with a PGA TOUR card, he’s put the boom in late bloomer. This is his second appearance after predictably missing the cut in his debut in November. His steady game improves nearer the hole and his consistency week after week remains one of the most underrated narratives going. Dylan Frittelli (+15000) … For a guy who misses a fair share of cuts, he capitalizes on the ones he makes. Since play resumed last summer, the 30-year-old South African has recorded four top 10s and another five top 25s worldwide. His most recent showcase was an escape from the Group Stage in a pod with Tony Finau, Jason Kokrak and Will Zalatoris. Frittelli also finished T5 in his second appearance at Augusta National in November. He co-led with an opening 65 and ranked second in par-4 scoring for the week. Mackenzie Hughes (+25000) … It’s been four years since his first and, until now, his only experience of competing at Augusta National. The 30-year-old is much-better equipped to handle the rigors of the course and attempt to become the second Canadian ever to win a major. Of course, it was Mike Weir at the 2003 Masters who broke the seal for their homeland. Hughes is rested since surviving Group Stage of the Match Play. His pod included Webb Simpson and Paul Casey, a pair with positions in my Power Rankings. Hughes is 12th on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting and T23 in par-5 scoring. Sebastián Muñoz (+15000) … One of the darlings of the 2019-20 season never fell lower than 16th in the FedExCup once he started his campaign, but he’s yet to crack the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking. Positioned 63rd upon arrival of this second appearance, he can’t complain about his first in November. En route to a T19, he ranked T11 in greens in regulation and seventh in converting those chances into par breakers. Since turning 28 early in 2021, the Colombian is 7-for-9 with a sample size-best T9 last week in San Antonio. For the week, he slotted T20 in GIR, second in proximity and third in converting his GIR into birdies or better. NOTE: Sleeper is a relative term, so Rob uses unofficial criteria to determine who qualifies. Each of the following usually is determined to be ineligible for this weekly staple: Winners of the tournament on the current host course; winners in the same season; recent major champions; top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking; recent participants of team competitions. Odds were sourced on Tuesday, April 6 at 5 a.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. CO, IA, IN,MI, NJ, NV,PA, TN, VA or WV only. Excludes Michigan Disassociated Persons. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700 (CO, NV, VA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA & WV), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), Call or Text the Tennessee REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN), or call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN).

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