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Jonas Blixt, Cameron Smith surge ahead in second round of Zurich Classic

 
Published April 29, 2017

AVONDALE, La. — Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith posted 10-under 62 in Friday's four-ball format to move into the lead at the Zurich Classic, which is in its first year of a new team format.

Blixt and Smith have a two-day total of 15-under 129 to lead by one over Patrick Reed and Patrick Cantlay. The K.J Choi-Charlie Wi and Troy Merritt-Robert Streb pairings are tied for third at 13 under.

The four-ball format has each member of a two-man team playing his own ball throughout a round, with only the best score on each hole recorded. The same format will be used Sunday. The first and third rounds have an alternate-shot format.

"Jonas is playing really well at the moment," Smith said. "You know he's going to make a birdie or par, so I'm just playing aggressive and letting it all fall into play."

The change from the alternate-shot approach produced much lower scores, even as heavy winds impacted the TPC Louisiana course.

The Blixt-Smith, Reed-Cantlay and Merritt-Streb duos were among five teams to post 62. Tyrone Van Aswegen and Retief Goosen teamed up for 60 to get to 11-under for the tournament.

"We just blended so well," Van Aswegen said. "I made birdie and then he made birdie. It was great. It was a privilege out there."

Those extraordinary low scores caused the two first-round leaders to fall off the pace a bit.

Jordan Spieth and Ryan Palmer had posted 66 in the first round to share the lead with the Ryan Ruffels-Kyle Stanley duo. Both teams posted 66 again and fell into a six-way tie for fifth place.

LPGA: Haru Nomura shot 6-under 65 for a two-round total of 9-under 133 and a one-shot lead under difficult, windy conditions in the North Texas Shootout in Irving. Ariya Jutanugarn was second after 67, with Suzann Pettersen another shot behind. First-round leader M.J. Hur shot 72 and trailed by four strokes.