Saturday morning update: Molinari back on top, DJ just makes cut

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Francesco Molinari resumed pole position while FedExCup leader Dustin Johnson barely made the cut as players completed their second rounds at the weather-delayed Wells Fargo Championship at Eagle Point Golf Club early Saturday morning. Molinari went 1 under for his seven holes, bogeying his last — the difficult, par-4 ninth — to card an even-par 72. He was at 6 under, one ahead of Billy Hurley III (69), Seamus Power (71), who finished Friday, and John Peterson, who played his last six holes in even par Saturday. “I managed to stay patient, just keep doing my thing,” Molinari said. “Holed a couple of nice putts, 17 and 18 last night, and then played well at the restart this morning. So, obviously, I’m pleased with where I am at the moment.” MORE: Live leaderboard | Third-round tee times | Weather Hub Rookie Jon Rahm, who is fourth in the FedExCup standings and finished his second-round 71 on Friday, was part of a large group of eight players at 4 under par, just two back. The 68 players who hadn’t completed their second rounds were in position by 7:30 a.m. and the horn blew to resume play in calm, cool conditions—much more benign than the day before. Although the attendance at Eagle Point has been robust, most people were still pouring their coffee and buttering their toast as Johnson stood on the 14th tee to resume his second round in the early-morning chill. He made a routine par, his birdie putt barely sliding by the cup, and birdied the par-3 15th hole. At that point he was 1 under par and going in the right direction. Over the next two holes, however, Johnson seemed to show the rust accumulated since he hurt his lower back falling down a flight of stairs the Wednesday of Masters week. Johnson blew his drive way right and bogeyed 16, and badly hooked his wedge approach to bogey 17, too. When he failed to birdie the par-5 finisher, Johnson could take comfort only in the fact that he had 36 more holes to figure it out as he goes for his fourth victory in his last four starts. His second-round 75 left him at 1 over, just good enough to make the cut, and ended his streak of 13 straight rounds of even par or better in stroke-play tournaments. He was seven behind. Adam Scott also barely made the cut at 1 over par. Phil Mickelson, who was disappointed in his double-bogey finish Friday to shoot 72, is at 1 under par overall and five off the lead. He is making his 20th PGA TOUR start in North Carolina, where he has never won. There are 43 players under par and within five of the lead going into the last 36 holes.

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