SAN MARTIN, Calif. — John Mallinger opened a four-stroke lead Friday in the Frys.com Open, making an eagle and two birdies on the final four holes for a 9-under 62.
Mallinger eagled the par-5 15th — hitting a 5-wood to 10 feet — and closed with consecutive birdies to cap his second straight bogey-free round and reach 14 under.
He matched the CordeValle record and his PGA Tour best with the 62.
“Any time you get it that low everything was kind of clicking," Mallinger said. “Drove it great, irons were great, and made putts."
He didn’t want to jinx the bogey-free start.
“Let’s not talk about it," Mallinger said.
He tapped in for birdie on 17, and made a 15-footer on 18.
“It’s the same grass I practice on at home," Mallinger said. “I’m just real comfortable with the speed. I just have some good thoughts over the putter right now, and that’s not every week. Hopefully, I can take advantage of it and keep it going into the weekend."
The 33-year-old Mallinger is winless in seven seasons on the PGA Tour. He has finished second twice, losing in a playoff to Bo Van Pelt in Milwaukee in 2009.
“I feel like I’m close," Mallinger said. “I’m not going into the weekend scared. I’m going to play and compete as hard as I can."
Billy Horschel and Jhonattan Vegas were second. Horschel had a 65, and Vegas shot 67.
First-round leader Nick O’Hern followed his opening 62 with a 71 to drop into a tie for fourth at 9 under with European Ryder Cup player Nicolas Colsaerts and Scott Dunlap.
“Didn’t play, obviously, as well as yesterday," O’Hern said. “Probably had nine more putts, so there is the nine strokes. I didn’t quite hit it as close as I did, but, all in all, I’m pleased."
Colsaerts had a 68, and Dunlap shot 63.
Also on Friday:
Rose takes Turkey title
BELEK, Turkey — Justin Rose beat European Ryder Cup teammate Lee Westwood by a stroke to win the eight-player World Golf Final and earn a career-best $1.5 million. The fifth-ranked Rose shot a 5-under 66 in the all-English final at the Antalya Club to finish 5-0 in the $5.2 million exhibition event. Rose birdied the opening hole on the Sultan Course and led the rest of the way against the fourth-ranked Westwood.
Choi leads in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Defending champion Na Yeon Choi took a two-stroke lead in the LPGA Malaysia, shooting a 4-under 67 in hot and humid conditions to reach 10 under. American Sydnee Michaels was second after a 65. Norway’s Suzann Pettersen shot a tournament-record 64 to match American Lizette Salas and Japan’s Momoko Ueda and Mika Miyazato at 7 under.
Forsman fires 65 for lead
CONOVER, N.C. — Dan Forsman shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead over Fred Funk, David Frost and Larry Mize after the first round of the Greater Hickory Classic. Defending champion Mark Wiebe and Jay Don Blake shot 67. Wiebe had a hole-in-one on No. 3.
Fisher in front in Portugal
VILAMOURA, Portugal — England’s Ross Fisher shot a 4-under 67 in the second round of the Portugal Masters to increase his lead to three strokes. Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger were tied for second.
