AFP, Los Angeles :
South Korean An Byeong-Hun drained a 35-foot birdie putt at the final hole on Friday to grab a share of the USPGA Tour Phoenix Open lead alongside American Brendan Steele.
An carded his second straight 66 for 10-under 132, while Steele had three of his four birdies in the last four holes in a four-under 67.
They were one stroke in front of a group of players led by overnight leader Matt Kuchar, who carded a 69, and defending champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who signed for a 68. Kuchar and Matsuyama were joined on 133 by Scotland’s Martin Laird, who posted a 66 and South Korea’s Kang Sung, who shot a 65.
Matsuyama had a chance to join the leading group, but missed a seven-foot par putt at 18.
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, hurt by a double bogey at 18, was in a group on seven-under 135 that also included Michael Kim, J.J. Spaun and Rickie Fowler-who lost at the fourth playoff hole to Matsuyama in Phoenix last year.
There was no stumble at the last for An, who hit only five of 14 fairways in regulation but scrambled to make 15 of 18 greens.
“I always make one of those, I guess, in a round,” An said of his birdie bomb at 18.
He had just one bogey in his first 36 holes of his first Phoenix Open, the tournament known for its massive galleries and rowdy atmosphere.
Kuchar said he didn’t drive it as well on Friday as he did in his sparkling seven-under effort in the first round.
“Hard to keep up with yesterday’s seven-under,” he said. “I played amazing golf yesterday. I still feel like today was very steady golf.”
Kuchar said he noticed a difference playing in the morning on Friday, after playing in the afternoon on Thursday.
“The ball goes significantly longer in the afternoon. It feels like the course plays so much longer in the morning.”
Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson, a three-time winner and fan favorite in Phoenix, shot 70 to enter the weekend at four-under par. He hurt his chances for his fourth Phoenix Open title with bogeys at the eighth and ninth, his final two holes of the day.
