Matthew NeSmith (1st/-14) made eight birdies, six of which came on his inward nine (Nos. 1-9), and an eagle (Par-5 14th) en route to tying the Valspar Championship’s low 18-hole score of 10-under 61 (Padraig Harrington/R1/2012).
Marks the lowest round on the PGA Tour since Will Zalatoris posted 11-under 61 in Round Two of the 2022.
Previous-best 18-hole score on TOUR: 63 on two occasions (most recent: 2021 WM Phoenix Open/R1).
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With his 67-61 start, is the only player bogey-free through 36 holes.
Related: Vegas, Burns, Hadwin, Lipsky, the summit’s crowded at Valspar
Best 36-hole position prior to this week: T3/2020 Farmers Insurance Open (T30).
Making his second start in the Valspar Championship: T21/2021.
Best finish in 14 starts this season: T14/Shriners Children’s Open.
Best of three top-10 finishes in 71 TOUR starts: T6/2020 Puerto Rico Open.
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Coming off a T9 at last week’s PLAYERS Championship, this week’s 18-hole co-leader and 2017 Valspar Championship winner Adam Hadwin (2nd/-12) followed an opening-round 7-under 64 with a 5-under 66 in Round Two. With a win, would become the event’s fourth multiple winner (K.J. Choi, Retief Goosen, Paul Casey).
Making his 11th consecutive start in the Valspar Championship, Scott Stallings (T3/-11) followed a 6-under 65 in Round One with a bogey-free 66 in round two; has made one bogey through 36 holes (par-4 third/R1); best of 10 previous starts was solo-third in his first start of 2011; a win this week would be his fourth on TOUR and first since the 2014 Farmers Insurance Open.
Sam Burns (T3/-11) seeks to join Paul Casey (2019) as the only players to successfully defend a title at the Valspar Championship; in search of third PGA Tour title (2021 Valspar Championship, 2021 Sanderson Farms Championship).
Beginning his round on No. 10, Justin Thomas (5th/-10) reached 7-under par on the day through 14 holes, before taking a double-bogey-six at No. 7 en-route to a second-consecutive 5-under 66.
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Marks the seventh occasion to post consecutive rounds of 66 or better in the first two rounds on Tour. Has converted for the win on three of the previous six occasions (most recent: 2018 World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational); making his fifth start in the Valspar Championship (T13/2021, MC/2017, T18/2016, T10/2015).
PGA Tour
