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Published November 20, 2014
Robert Garrigus birdied eight of 11 holes en route to a 7-under 64 on Friday and that spurt gave him a 2-stroke lead after two rounds of the CIMB Classic.
Garrigus, a 3-time runner-up this season on the PGA Tour, finished 36 holes at 14- under-par 128. With lift, clean and place conditions in play for round two, that cost Garrigus that 36-hole scoring record.
Jbe' Kruger, who played alongside Tiger Woods on Friday, also fired a 64 to move into second place at minus-12 at The Mines Resort and Golf Club.
First-round leader Troy Matteson managed a 2-under 69 and dipped into a share of third at 10-under 132. He was joined there by Greg Chalmers (66).
Woods carded a 4-under 67 to end 36 holes at 9-under 133. He stands alongside Kevin Na (66) and Brendon de Jonge (65) in fifth place.
Woods wrapped birdies at three and five around a bogey on the fourth. After a birdie at seven, Woods parred his next four holes. He 2-putted for birdie on the 11th, but drove into the trees at 12 and that led to a bogey.
After a pair of pars, Woods got up and down for birdie on the short par-4 15th. Woods posted one final birdie on No. 17 to end at minus-9.
"You can't be passive out here, you have to be aggressive," Woods said in a televised interview. "The greens are grainy. Yesterday, I had good leaves, but today I left myself downhill, cross-grain putts that were tough."
Garrigus got off to a steady start with six consecutive pars to open his round. A birdie on the par-3 seventh ignited a run by Garrigus.
He followed with birdies on eight and nine. Garrigus drained his fourth straight birdie attempt at the par-4 10th to grab a share of the lead at 11- under.
The long-hitting Garrigus, 34, scrambled to a par on the par-5 11th. He followed with birdies at 12 and 13 to grab the lead.
Garrigus carded his third birdie in a 4-hole span at the 15th. He got up and down for birdie on the par-5 17th to move to 15-under. However, a poor drive at the last led to a closing bogey.
"I feel like I can beat anybody in the world. I've played with Tiger. I've played with Rory McIlroy in the Tour Championship. I hit it just as good as those guys. It's just the short game. If I'm putting well and if I keep putting like this on the weekend, it's going to be hard to catch me," admitted Garrigus.
"I do have a very high confidence level right now. I had one of the best years of my career. I'm having fun, having a good time with it. A lot of my hard work is paying off and that's nice to see."
Kruger, who played with Woods for the first time in his career, wasn't fazed by his playing partner. The South African birdied the second and third. He also birdied Nos. 6 and 8 to move to minus-9.
Around the turn, Kruger converted back-to-back birdie chances at 10 and 11. He tripped to a bogey at 12, but rolled in a 15-footer for birdie at 13 to get to 11-under.
Kruger parred three in a row before sinking a 5-footer for birdie at 17. He parred the last to end two back.
"It's fun to play with him. I enjoyed every moment, every second. I was nervous at the start and I was still nervous on 18," said Kruger of playing with Woods. "I think playing with him definitely made me concentrate a bit harder. That is one thing I've been lacking in the last couple of months."
Last year's winner Bo Van Pelt carded a 65 to jump into a tie for 11th at minus-7.
NOTES: Garrigus' 36-hole total of 128 was a career-best for him on the PGA Tour...Kruger, who got into the field via his position on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, is looking for the best finish at this event for a player qualifying the way he did. The best previous finish for an Order of Merit qualifier was a share of fifth last year by Mardan Mamat...Thirty-eight of the 48 players in the field broke par on Friday.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/garrigus-leads-cimb-by-2-woods-trails-by-5