American Harris English fired a round of 67 to stride out to a two-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Friday.
Teeing off with a share of the lead with compatriot Justin Thomas after both shot first-round 65s, English turned in a faultless display, collecting three birdies on both nines to end the day at 14 under par.
Thomas began well with a flawless front nine of four under par, but could not improve coming home — with a bogey cancelled out by a birdie on the last — to end the round on 12 under.
He is in a share of second place with three fellow Americans — Daniel Berger and Collin Morikawa, who shot 65s — and Ryan Palmer, who has carded two rounds of 67.
Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed are in a group of four sharing sixth place a stroke further back, while Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Spain’s Jon Rahm are lurking in a group a further shot away at 10 under.
Scotland’s Martin Laird, the only Briton in the 42-person field, shot a second straight 69 — with four birdies and no bogeys — to be six off the pace at eight under.
Collated second round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour Sentry Tournament of Champions, Plantation Course at Kapalua (USA unless stated, par 73):
132 Harris English 65 67
134 Daniel Berger 69 65, Collin Morikawa 69 65, Ryan Palmer 67 67, Justin Thomas 65 69
135 Sung-Jae Imn (Kor) 67 68, Patrick Reed 67 68, Xander Schauffele 69 66, Brendon Todd 68 67
136 Patrick Cantlay 68 68, Bryson DeChambeau 69 67, Dustin Johnson 71 65, Joaquin Niemann (Chi) 69 67, Carlos Ortiz (Mex) 69 67, Jon Rahm (Spa) 70 66, Scottie Scheffler 70 66
137 Brian Gay 70 67, Billy Horschel 71 66, Viktor Hovland (Nor) 69 68, Jason Kokrak 71 66, Webb Simpson 70 67
138 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 67 71, Martin Laird (Sco) 69 69, Marc Leishman (Aus) 69 69, Nick Taylor (Can) 67 71, Richy Werenski 69 69
139 Cameron Champ 71 68, Lanto Griffin 71 68, Kevin Na 71 68, Adam Scott (Aus) 68 71, Robert Streb 67 72
140 Stewart Cink 71 69, Cameron Smith (Aus) 70 70
141 Abraham Ancer (Mex) 70 71, Kevin Kisner 70 71, Andrew Landry 70 71, Sebastian Munoz (Col) 75 66, Michael Thompson 73 68
142 Tony Finau 74 68
143 Hudson Swafford 73 70
144 Mackenzie Hughes (Can) 73 71
148 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 73 75