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Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala had contrasting fortunes but both made the cut at the Wells Fargo Championship. American Indian Bhatia with a second eagle in as many days, shot 69 and Theegala carded 74 but were both T-55 as England's Tyrrell Hatton shot a 6-under 65 on Friday to move into a share of the second-round lead.
Hatton, who has one PGA TOUR victory and six on the DP World Tour, played the final four holes at Quail Hollow in 4 under to reach 8-under 134, matching Nate Lashley (66) and Wyndham Clark (67) through 36 holes. Three-time Wells Fargo Championship winner Rory McIlroy fell off the pace following a 73. Korean star Sungjae Im fought his way into title contention after a stellar 5-under 66 in the second round that took him into tied fourth place, one off the lead. The two-time PGA TOUR winner felt he could have gone even lower as he felt he missed a few birdie chances. Im made one birdie from the three par-5s at Quail Hollow Club but the 25-year-old still hit six birdies against a lone bogey for a 7-under 135 total through 36 holes to lie one behind co-leaders in the US$20 million PGA TOUR showpiece which features 34 players from the world's top-50. Countryman K.H. Lee was a further stroke back in tied 10th after a 70 which included a costly double bogey on his last hole. Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim, who featured in the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow last September alongside Im and Lee, carded a 73 and 72 respectively for equal 38th place on 2-under. Lee, who will attempt a three-peat at the AT&T Byron Nelson next week which he won in 2021 and 2022, was tied for the lead with one hole remaining following four birdies and a lone bogey but found trouble on his last hole, the ninth. Following a wayward drive, he could only chip his way back onto the fairway and subsequently missed the green long, leading to an eventual six. Xander Schauffele (69), Justin Thomas (67) and Adam Scott (68) are amongst those in contention on 7-under while defending champion Max Home will enter the weekend just three back. There are 28 players within four shots of the lead. Hatton began his round on the tenth and his strong closing stretch included a 26-foot eagle putt on the par-5 seventh hole. The Englishman made three putts of 25 feet or more on his last four holes. McIlroy, who won at Quail Hollow in 2010, 2015 and 2021, shot 73 and escaped with an impressive par on the par-4 18th to make the cut on the number. While a seven-shot deficit seems a lot to overcome, McIlroy shot 61 on Saturday in 2015 on the way to victory. Among the big names missing the cut were Collin Morikawa (73-73) and Jordan Spieth, who had a 77 in the second round. (ANI)
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