Taiwan’s Yu fires 66s to boost his Tour bid

Taiwanese golfer Kevin Yu on Friday at least managed to finish the second round at the Austin Championship with another 6-under 66. Whether he keeps the lead is not nearly as important as how he finishes the PGA Tour’s penultimate fall tournament.

Yu, who came into the week at No. 99 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, finished with two good par putts and was at 12-under 132.

Trace Crowe, the 18-hole leader who played in the afternoon, was at 13 under when play was suspended for the second straight day by darkness. Crowe faced a 55-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th hole when play was to resume Saturday morning at Omni Barton Creek.

“If you think about it, it’s definitely a lot of pressure,” Yu said about the standings. “But on the golf course pressure’s not going to do anything good to you. I’m trying to just be myself on the course, try to hit good golf shots.”

“If I just keep hitting good golf shots, the good golf is going to take care of itself,” he said.

The PGA Tour season ends next week at Sea Island on the Georgia coast, and the top 100 are assured full status for next year, a key year before the tour shifts its competitive model.

Brian Harman, whose 2023 British Open title came with a five-year exemption, had a 66 and was at 11-unde 133 along with Kristoffer Ventura (67), who also has status locked up for next year.

Crowe went 32 holes before finally making a bogey, going from the rough to well over the green on the 15th hole and missing a par putt from outside 20 feet.