PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Zac Blair topped the Web.com Tour Championship leaderboard at 13 under Friday when second-round play was suspended because of darkness.
Blair was 5 under with three holes left in the round that was delayed because of rain. On Thursday, the 24-year-old former BYU player shot a 63 to match the record on TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course.
“It’s a little difficult not knowing when you’re going to have to stop and come back,” Blair said. “You just have to take in stride and with it. Everyone this afternoon has to.”
After missing the cuts in the first three events in the Web.com Tour Finals, Blair needs to earn about $40,000 in the season finale to earn a PGA Tour card.
“I realized I needed a good week coming in,” Blair said. “I also realized that none of the projections matter until the end of Sunday.”
Blair eagled his first hole — holing a 10-foot putt on the par-5 10th — and birdied Nos. 18, 1 and 2. He’ll resume play Saturday with an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 16.
“I’ve made some good putts the last couple of days,” Blair said. “I’ve been getting chances and capitalizing on them.”
Derek Fathauer was second at 9 under after a 66.
“The fairways tighten the further down you get,” Fathauer said. “You want to play this course from the fairway.”
Tommy Gainey broke the course record with a 62 to move into a tie for ninth at 5 under.
“I’m finally healthy,” Gainey said. “I’ve been battling tennis elbow for the last year and half. In the last month I’ve gotten healthy. My attitude is always to freewheel it. I’m always going after it.”
The four-event series is limited to the top 75 players from the Web.com Tour money list and Nos. 126-200 in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup standings.
The top 25 on the Web.com money list have earned PGA Tour cards. They are competing against each other for PGA Tour priority, with regular-season earnings counting in their totals. The other players are fighting for another 25 cards based on their earnings in the series.
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