Sao Paulo, Brazil – The second round of the inaugural Brasil Classic concluded Saturday and Richard S. Johnson and Benjamin Alvarado shot 65 and 63, respectively, to catch overnight leader Danny Lee.
On Friday, Lee carded his second straight 65 to reach 12-under 130 after a three-plus hour rain delay. Johnson was 10-under through 11 holes and Alvarado was minus-6 through four when play was suspended.
Johnson, who shared the first-round lead with Lee and Tom Hoge, picked up two more birdies early Saturday to wrap up his second-round 65 and join Lee at 12- under.
Alvarado used a late surge to join the leaders, concluding his second-round 63 with a hat trick of birdies at the Sao Paulo Golf Club.
Kevin Kim (64) is alone in fourth place at 10-under and Kelly Kraft (67) is 9- under, while Matt Hill (66) and Tim Wilkinson (67) are knotted in sixth at minus-8.
Local favorite Alexandre Rocha (68) and fellow countryman Philippe Gasnier (68) are joined by Dawie van der Walt (66), Aron Price (65), Jonathan Hodge (68) and Franklin Corpening (67) at 7-under.
Kevin Foley, the only 2013 Web.com Tour winner in the field, failed to make the cut after carding rounds of 80 and 74. He needed at least a second-place finish at this event to take over the top spot on the money list from Edward Loar.
Former PGA Tour winners Parker McLachlin, Shaun Micheel, Ted Purdy, Chris Smith and Marc Turnesa also failed to make the cut.
NOTES: Johnson has played in two European Tour events at the Sao Paulo Golf Club. He tied for 11th at the 2000 Brazil 500 Years Open and tied for second at the 2001 Sao Paulo Brazil Open ... Foley won the season-opening Panama Claro Championship ... Micheel was the only former major champion in the field (2003 PGA Championship).
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