Gonzales remains on top in Utah
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sandy, UT (SportsNetwork.com) - Andres Gonzales carded a 4-under 67 on Friday to maintain his position atop the leaderboard at the Utah Championship.
Gonzales, who is seeking his second career win on the Web.com Tour, finished 36 holes at Willow Creek Country Club at 13-under-par 129.
"It's always good to be in the lead. If you have a lead, you're playing well," Gonzales said. "It's just a matter of sticking to the game plan, which is pounding fairways, pounding some greens and making some putts."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Travis Bertoni fired an 8-under 63 to jump into a share of second place with Steve Wheatcroft (66) at 11-under 131, while Adam Crawford's 10-under 61 vaulted him into a tie for fourth place with Sung Kang (65), Jose Toledo (66), Bhavik Patel (66) and Tony Finau (67) at minus-10.
Blayne Barber (65), Kevin Kim (65), Colt Knost (65), Ryan Spears (65), Byron Smith (66) and Ben Kohles (67) shared ninth at 9-under 133.
Gonzales opened his round with a birdie at the 10th. He picked up another shot at the 12th to move to 11-under before parring his next six holes to remain there.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 2012 Soboba Golf Classic winner then found the green with his second shot at the par-5 first and converted that eagle effort to reach minus-13.
He later rolled in a birdie at the fifth to reach 14-under, but gave that shot back with a bogey at the eighth after finding water off the tee and parred the ninth to finish at 13-under.
"I just hit a bad tee shot. I've been playing pretty well the entire week. Everybody is going to have a bad shot," Gonzales said about his gaffe at the 17th. "Overall, if that's my only bad shot of the two days, I'm all right with it."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bertoni started his day with a bogey at the 10th, but he would not drop another shot for the remainder of the day.
He quickly got that shot with a birdie at the 12th, and continued to roll in birdies at the 14th, 16th and 17th to make the turn at 6-under.
He stayed hot with five birdies over a 7-hole stretch from the first to race to 11-under.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wheatcroft had a lone birdie among eight pars during an outward 35 before recording birdies at the first, third, seventh and ninth during his inward nine to earn his share of second place.
Crawford's impressive round included a bogey, an eagle and nine birdies.
NOTES: The cut line fell at 5-under 137, with 65 players advancing to the weekend ... Among those to miss the cut was defending champion Steven Alker ... Wheatcroft's lone career win on the Web.com Tour came at the 2011 Melwood Prince George's County Open, while Bertoni is trying for his first win on tour.