Sung Kang sets course record to share lead at Pebble Beach

Chez Reavie plays his tee shot on the 13th hole during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at the Monterey Peninsula Country Club (Shore Course) on Friday in Pebble Beach, California. Phil’s still on the marquee, as he should be having won four the tournament four times, but at age 45 and ranked just 29th in the world, his name appears slightly smaller considering the field assembled for this year’s event. No offense taken. Kang didn’t know him, either. “A couple of years ago I played with a guy who was 756th in the world”.

Kang was then asked if Romano, who starred for many years in “Everybody Loves Raymond” and is set to debut in a new HBO series, “Vinyl”, knew who he was.

“I thought I was going to shoot a lot lower than I did…”

Korea’s Sung Kang and Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata, both graduates from the Web.Com Tour or Web.Com Tour Finals in 2015, lead the AT& T Pebble Beach Pro Am as the event enters its third round tomorrow.

Sung had a spectacular second round of 60, also at Monterey Peninsula, with nine birdies and an eagle at his par-5 16th.

Mickelson is joined on 10 under by Freddie Jacobson and Chez Reavie, who shot three and two under respectively.

The back nine didn’t go according to plan for Phil Mickelson during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and the par-3 14th hole at Monterey Peninsula served as the best illustration.

Australian world No. 3 Jason Day went on a back-nine birdie blitz at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am to rocket into contention after the second round.

“My game is pretty much there”, said Mickelson, “The last piece is mental, performing under pressure”. “I ran a few putts by early on, had a five and six-footer coming back and kept making them”.

As for Kang, it’s anybody’s guess what he might do with two rounds to go. American Daniel Im was tied for third at 4 under after a 68.

He needed to go 5-under-par his last 8 holes to achieve that magical number.

Kang’s bag is being carried by Fluff Cowan, who caddied for Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk, who is not here because of an injury. I was trying too hard. He had to settle for a 65, and that wasn’t even the most exciting round at Monterey Peninsula. As he said, “I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole”.

Aside from Mickelson and England’s Justin Rose, the leader board still comprised players with relatively modest tour accomplishments. He’s only one shot off the lead at the halfway point. He got off to a slow start Thursday with a 71 before rebounding with a 69 on Friday to build some momentum heading into the weekend. You can focus on closing out the tournament in one spot.

For the pros, the cut line is the top 60 players and ties. Patrick Reed shot 72 and Bubba Watson had a 73.

He missed the green with what he called his “worst shot of the day” but confidently rattled in a par putt to claim his share of the lead.

Brandt Snedeker, the defending titlist and 2013 AT&T victor, had a 71 at MPCC and is even par.