Tim Petrovic, Jim Furyk lead after 36-hole day in Florida

Jim Furyk counted himself a co-leader twice Saturday as he and Tim Petrovic sit atop the leaderboard of the TimberTech Championship after 36 holes in Boca Raton, Fla.

Rain wiped out Friday’s entire first round, forcing a long day at The Old Course at Broken Sound Club.

“That’s all it was, 36? Felt like 45, I think,” Furyk said afterward.

Furyk fired a 66 to own the first-round lead with Woody Austin and followed it up with a 64 to sit at 14 under with Petrovic, who went 69-61 in his 36 holes.

The TimberTech is the second of three season-ending playoff events for the PGA Champions Tour.

Australia’s Steven Alker (68, 63) sits one shot back at 13 under to sit alone in third, and South Africa’s Ernie Els is alone in fourth at 11 under, three shots back. Els went 67-66 on the day.

Furyk carded 16 birdies on the day against just two bogeys – both coming in the first round.

“You know, I think I did a good job of getting the ball in the hole and scoring. I hit my irons very well, short game was good, I made a bunch of putts out there,” Furyk said. “Got a little loose with the driver on that back nine late and I think a lot of it’s just flat tired. I usually — more than physically, I think you kind of get mentally tired on 36.”

Petrovic also carded two bogeys in Round 1 – on his first hole and his last – before recording a clean card and 11 birdies in the second round.

“I decided I was going to hit a few fairways in the afternoon,” Petrovid said. “It didn’t start out so good this morning. I had the lefts going this morning. I think I hit it in the water on 10 to start the round and just made a great bogey, which felt like a birdie. I could have made a double there very easy.”

Austin followed his 66 with a 71 to end the day tied for ninth at 7 under, seven shots back of the leaders.

Scott Dunlap, Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez and Kirk Triplett sit tied for fifth at 9 under, five shots back.

–Field Level Media

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