The winds died down Friday at TPC San Antonio, and the conditions allowed a local resident to move to the top of the standings. Here’s how things look at the halfway point of the Valero Texas Open, where Jimmy Walker holds a one-shot lead:
Leaderboard: Jimmy Walker (-6), Aaron Baddeley (-5), Charley Hoffman (-5), Jordan Spieth (-4), Kevin Na (-4), Phil Mickelson (-2), Zach Johnson (-2), Billy Horschel (-2)
What it means: Walker makes his home in nearby Boerne and he grabbed the lead with a 5-under 67. After leading for much of the round, Hoffman enters the weekend one shot back at a course where he has never finished outside the top 20 while a number of big names lurk just off the pace, including Mickelson after an even-par 72 in the second round.
Round of the day: Walker caught fire on the greens, requiring only 27 putts to complete his round while gaining nearly four shots against the field on the greens. He opened with a birdie on No. 10, the first of six on the day, and grabbed the lead with three straight circles on Nos. 6-8 near the end of his round.
Best of the rest: Na has quietly been lurking on the fringe of contention over the past few weeks, and he put himself in position for a fourth straight top-10 finish with a 4-under 68 in the second round. Na carded five birdies against just one dropped shot, and he has yet to make a bogey this week on the back nine at TPC San Antonio.
Biggest disappointment: Max Homa will have many more opportunities to contend, but the rookie stumbled mightily in Round 2. After opening with a 69, Homa struggled to a 9-over 81 Friday to drop from contention to the cut line. The former Cal standout failed to make a single birdie during his round, carding five bogeys to go along with a pair of double bogeys.
Main storyline heading into Saturday: Walker already has a win this season and will be tough to dislodge from the top spot in the standings, but there are several well-credentialed players still within striking distance. Among them is Spieth, who sits just two shots back in his first start since a dramatic playoff win earlier this month at the Valspar Championship.
Shot of the day: An opening-round 83 meant Martin Flores won’t make the cut, but he still authored a highlight Friday when he holed a wedge from 63 yards for an improbable eagle on No. 18. The shot helped him to a 4-under 32 on the back nine.
Quote of the day: “It’s nice to be right there at the top and have a chance. That’s what you’re out here trying to do.” - Walker