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Valspar: Hadwin takes lead with 64
Mike Lawrie
Canadian Adam Hadwin, who shot a 59 in the CareerBuilder Challenge in January, went low again on Friday, shooting a seven-under par 64 to take a one-stroke lead in the Valspar Championship.
Hadwin birdied the first five holes on his back nine on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla., and added a sixth birdie on the 17th hole for a back-nine of 29.
“I just hit a lot of quality iron shots,” he said. “I hit it real solid, which is the key when the wind picks up. If I can continue to do that this weekend I’ll have a chance. I was walking down the fairway, thinking to myself, ‘man, it’s been nice to hit a bunch of greens and kind of stress-free pars and birdies instead of the scrambling I have been doing.’”
First-round leader Jim Herman followed his opening-round of 62 with an even-par 71 that has him trailing Hadwin by a stroke. South African Tyrone Van Aswegen had a 65 and is two behind, while Henrik Stenson of Sweden shot an even-par 71 to fall three behind.
Among those to miss the cut were Justin Thomas, winner of three tournaments this season, who shot a 74; Ernie Els, who shot 73; and Bubba Watson, who bogeyed his last two holes and shot even-par 71.