Stephen Jaeger leads the PGA Tour’s Black Desert Championship by one shot after consecutive chip-in birdies on his back nine saw the German card an eight-under second round.
Jaeger’s 63 was highlighted by gains from off the green at 15 and 16, which came amid a run of five birdies across his final seven holes in Utah.
The 35-year-old finished Friday on 14 under for the tournament, a stroke clear of Canada’s Adam Svensson – who posted an 11-under 60 on day one – and USA’s Ben Kohles.
A number of players are yet to conclude their second rounds after bad light curtailed the day, with Matt McCarty, who is playing just his second PGA Tour event after three wins this summer on the Korn Ferry Tour, at 12 under after 15 holes.
Jaeger made a fast start with three birdies in a row and four in his first five holes, only to then three-putt from 10 feet at the seventh for his sole blemish of the day.
He rallied, though, sinking from 30 feet for a birdie at 12 and then picking up another shot at 14 before his back-to-back chip-ins at the next two holes.
Jaeger – who secured his maiden PGA Tour title in March when he held off world No 1 Scottie Scheffler to win the Texas Children’s Houston Open – concluded his round with a birdie at the par-five 18th, two-putting from 50 feet.
He said afterwards: “The two chip-ins on the back kind of made this round from being good to great, so super happy with it.”
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Sam Ryder, Henrik Norlander and Harris English are alongside McCarty in a share for fourth place on 12 under par, two shots behind Jaeger.
Watch continued coverage of the Black Desert Championship live on Sky Sports Golf from 10pm on Saturday, with the action also picking up on Sky Sports Main Event from 11pm.
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