David Lingmerth reeled off six birdies in his first 12 holes to snatch a one-shot lead after the second round of the Australian PGA Championship Friday, while pre-tournament favorite Brandt Snedeker missed the cut by a whopping nine shots. Swede Lingmerth shot a 68 in tricky conditions at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast to reach the halfway stage as the outright leader at three-under-par. Five players — England's Mark Foster, South Africa's Zander Lombard, Spain's Pablo Martin Benavides, Australia's Matthew Miller and American Peter Uihlein — were tied for second a shot further back. Rhein Gibson, who fired a world record 16-under-par 55 at a National Pro Tour event in the United States three years ago, shot a course-record 64 Friday to join a group of six players at one-under. After a first round 79, Gibson slipped to nine-over after two holes Friday but stormed up the leaderboard with five birdies and two eagles in his last 10 holes. American Snedeker carded a 75, nine better than his first round but still leaving him languishing way back at 15 over par. Casey grabs share of lead In New Providence, Bahamas, world No. 1 Jordan Spieth aced the par-3 second hole while England's Paul Casey fired a six-under par 66 to share the lead after round one of the Hero World Challenge. Casey's bogey-free round put him alongside Americans Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson atop the leaderboard at the 18-man event hosted by Tiger Woods. Defending champion Spieth's shot of the day left him one stroke back on 67 alongside compatriots Bubba Watson, Bill Haas and Brooks Koepka and Australian Adam Scott. Spieth, the reigning US Open and Masters champion, used a 6-iron from 172 yards for his hole-in-one and followed with a bogey-free round that included birdies at the seventh and back-to-back at the 14th and par-5 15th. Casey enjoyed his tour of the Albany resort, making birdies at the par-5 third, sixth and 15th holes. He also opened and closed the back nine with birdies and added another at 13 to secure his playoff among the leaders. Walker closed the front nine with a bogey to stand at level par but made six birdies on a bogey-free back side to seize his share of the lead. Johnson birdied three of the four par-3s — the fifth, eighth and 17th holes — as well as the 10th, 11th, 15th and 16th. Scott birdied the par-3 second and eagled the par-5 third then answered a bogey at the fourth with a birdie on the par-5 sixth. On the back nine, he took a bogey at 13 but responded with back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15th and closed with another birdie to stay on the leaders' heels. Feng, Yang on top In Florida, China's Simin Feng and South Korea's Julie Yang shared the second-round lead at 9-under par Thursday in the LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. Feng had a 2-under 70 on LPGA International's Hills Course, and Yang shot a 69 on the Jones Course. The top 20 finishers Sunday will earn full LPGA Tour cards, and Nos. 21-45 and ties will receive conditional status. Christine Song was third at 8 under after a 71 on the Hills Course. Cydney Clanton was another stroke back after a 70 on the Hills Course. Canada's Maude-Aimee LeBlanc and Thailand's Benyapa Niphatsophon were tied for fifth at 6 under. LeBlanc had a 67 on the Hills Course, the best round of the day. — Agencies
