Panama City, Panama (Sports Network) - Web.com Tour rookie Dae-Hyun Kim carded
a 2-under 68 in breezy conditions Friday and grabbed a 2-stroke lead after two
rounds of the Panama Claro Championship.
Kim ended 36 holes at 7-under-par 133. He is making his first tour start.
Former PGA Tour player Len Mattiace fired a 5-under 65 to jump into a share of
second place with Kevin Foley, who shot 69 on Friday. They stand at minus-5.
Mark Anderson, who shared the first-round lead with Andrew Loupe, stumbled to
a 2-over 72 and slid into a tie for fourth at 4-under-par 136. He was joined
there by 2008 winner Scott Dunlap (66), Gavin Coles (67), Roland Thatcher
(69), Vaughn Taylor (69), Peter Tomasulo (71), Aron Price (66) and Billy
Hurley III (68).
Loupe struggled to a 4-over 74 and dropped into a share of 20th at 2-under-par
138 at Club de Golf de Panama.
Kim, who qualified for the 2011 U.S. Open, but missed the cut, started on the
back nine and dropped a shot at his opening hole. He got that stroke back with
a birdie on the 14th, but tripped to another bogey at the 16th.
The Korean traded a birdie at 18 for a bogey at the first. Kim was 1-over par
for his round, but poured in three straight birdies from the second to grab
the lead at minus-7. He parred his final five holes to end there.
"One of my goals is to get to the PGA Tour. I also want to gain some
experience playing more golf courses in the United States," Kim said through
an interpreter. "I haven't played many times in the U.S."
Mattiace also started on No. 10 and had two birdies and a bogey on his opening
nine. He faltered to another bogey on the second, but flew up the leaderboard
from there.
The 45-year-old, who won twice on the PGA Tour, wrapped birdies at three and
five around an eagle at the par-5 fourth. He also birdied the eighth to get
within two of the lead.
Foley had a birdie and a bogey on his first nine, the back nine. He birdied
the first and fourth to move to 6-under, but tripped to a bogey on No. 9, his
final hole, to end two back.
"You can't really overpower this course. Step one is putting it in play,"
Foley stated. "There's a lot out there that could sneak up on you pretty fast
if you lose track by being too aggressive. Smart, strategic golf will pay
dividends."
NOTES: Edward Loar, the 2012 champion, stumbled to a 4-over 74 and missed the
cut by four strokes ... Sixty-four players made the 36-hole cut, which fell at
2-over-par 142 ... Among the others to miss the cut were former major champion
Shaun Micheel, Richard S. Johnson, Woody Austin, Will Mackenzie and Sam
Saunders ... Rich Beem (minus-1) and Todd Hamilton (minus-3) the other two
major winners playing this week made the cut ... This was the ninth time in
the 10-year history of the tournament that the cut was over par.
The Sports Network