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Sports

Swafford jumps on top in Georgia

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Valdosta, GA – Hudson Swafford fired a 5-under 67 on Friday and grabbed a 1-stroke lead through two rounds of the South Georgia Classic.

Swafford, who is seeking his second Web.com Tour win, sits at 8-under-par 136 through 36 holes, while Bhavik Patel (70), D.J. Brigman (67), Will Wilcox (66), Andrew Loupe (68) and Michael Putnam (68) are one shot back at 7-under 137.

"You've got to hit it well out here," said Swafford. "It's not a putting contest like some other courses. You've got to do everything well. You've got to be patient. Pars are good out here. Most of the golf courses we play, if you're not making birdie every other hole, you're losing ground."

Overnight leader Ryan Spears, a tour rookie, stumbled to a second-round 73 at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club and dropped into a tie for seventh place with Alexandre Rocha (71), Nick Rousey (70), Philip Pettitt, Jr (72) and Troy Merritt (72) at 5-under.

Current money list leader Edward Loar (70) is tied with six others at 4-under through 36 holes. John Daly birdied his final hole to finish 36 holes at even- par 144 and make the cut on the number.

Swafford, a winner at the Stadion Classic at UGA last year, went out with the morning wave and moved in front courtesy of a bogey-free outing.

After opening with a par, the University of Georgia product birdied No. 2, then turned the trick in succession starting at the par-5 fifth to highlight an outward 33.

Swafford added birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 to hit the clubhouse with the lead.

"This is like a home event for me," said Swafford. "I've got friends and family here. My fiance and her family are here. It's a relaxing week."

Patel moved into a tie for first at 8-under with birdies on three of his first five holes, but the California native failed to maintain the momentum. He tripped to a bogey on No. 12, then regained a share of the lead with a birdie on the 15th. A bogey on the par-3 17th, however, dropped Patel into a tie for second.

Brigman also reached 8-under when he picked up his sixth birdie of the day on No. 16, but he promptly fell back to minus-7 with a bogey in the 17th.

NOTES: Swafford's best finish on the Web.com Tour this season is a tie for 33rd at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open ... At 7,781 yards, the Kinderlou Forest Golf Club is the longest on the Web.com Tour ... This week's purse is $650,000, with $117,000 going to the champion ... Gary Christian withdrew prior to the start of the first round and was replaced by Duffy Waldorf, who is 2-under ... Last year, Luke List fired four rounds in the 60s last year en route to a 2-stroke win over Brian Stuard. List moved on to the PGA Tour and is playing in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans this week.