Aussies must fire to catch runaway Kokrak

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Jason Kokrak is not the type of player who is going to draw a lot of fanfare, but the six-year PGA Tour veteran has shown the ability to shoot low scores in his career. On Saturday (AEST) at TPC Las Colinas he shot his lowest, a flawless 8-under par 62 to give him a five-shot lead through 36-holes of the AT&T Byron Nelson.

Kokrak’s round was bogey-free, beginning with birdies on two of his first three holes. He added another on the par-5 seventh hole, then stuck his 168-yard approach shot to three feet on the par-4 ninth hole and tapped it in for a 4-under 31 on the front.

On the 12th hole, it was clear that the 31-year-old was in the zone, spinning his 108-yard approach shot back to two feet and holing another birdie. He collected three more on his way in to get him to 12-under 128 for the tournament. Kokrak, who has finished second twice in his career, is in search of his first PGA Tour victory.

There were many more low numbers shot on Friday, including Billy Horschel’s 5-under 65, which featured birdies on his final three holes. Horschel, 30, is alone in second at 7-under for the tournament. He’s won three times on tour, but none since his breakthrough at the 2014 Tour Championship.

World No.1 Dustin Johnson is among a group of six players six shots back after posting another three-under 67. PGA Tour rookie Grayson Murray had the second lowest round of the day, a seven-under 63. He’s at five-under, seven back of Kokrak.

Jordan Spieth, who carded a 2-under 68 in his opening round, made a quadruple-bogey nine on the par-5 16th hole that led to a 5-over 75. He has now missed back-to-back cuts, something he hasn’t done since August of 2015.

Australia’s Rod Pampling sits at 4-under and eight shots back

Of the Aussies, veteran Rod Pampling is best placed at 4-under and eight shots back, while Jason Day sits a shot further back at 3-under. Marc Leishman and Greg Chalmers are in a tie for 38th at 1-under.