Russell Henley storms into Sony Open lead on PGA Tour
Henley plays his last six holes in 6-under par to assume the halfway lead at the Sony Open.
Russell Henley played his final six holes in 6-under par as he raced to the top of the leaderboard on day two at the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Hawaii.
Henley, 32, opened with a blistering round of 8-under 62 and he then followed it up with a 7-under 63 in the second round to move to 15-under par.
The three-time PGA Tour winner started his Friday well with a birdie on the par-4 10th, his first hole of the day, but he stalled thereafter with five consecutive pars followed by an untimely bogey at the par-4 16th.
Henley would hole out from the greenside bunker for eagle at the par-5 18th, his ninth of the day, but he would hand one of those shots back with a bogey at the par-4 1st.
But things really got going for the American at the par-3 4th when he fired a laser long iron from outside of 200 yards into nine feet, draining it for birdie, and he then followed up with another birdie from eight feet at the 5th.
A par followed at the 6th but then Henley immediately got back on the birdie train with another birdie from nine feet at the 7th and one more from 11 feet at the 8th.
Most players had been making birdie at the par-5 9th, playing one of the easier holes on the course, but Henley went one better by converting a 28-foot putt for his second eagle of the day and sign for a stunning round of 63.
Heating up to end the round.
eagles on the card has @RussHenleyGolf in the lead. pic.twitter.com/nrddOuu83h
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 14, 2022
As it stands ahead of the afternoon wave of groups teeing off, Henley holds a three-shot lead over China's resurgent Haotong Li, who posted a 65.
Henley, the World No.56, will no doubt have good vibes heading into the weekend, especially given his current form but also because he won his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2013 Sony Open.
He also won the 2014 Honda Classic, with his last victory coming at the 2017 Houston Open.
Matt Kuchar, who won the 2019 Sony Open, matched Li's round of 65 to progress to 11-under par.
Ryan Palmer, the 2010 Sony Open, is off to a fast start in round two and is looking to chase down the leaders.
Cameron Smith, the pre-tournament favourite after winning last week's Tournament of Champions with a record-breaking PGA Tour score of 34-under par, unfortunately could not fire in similar fashion and the Australian missed the cut on 2-under par.
