Luke List autographs a golf ball after finishing the second round of the Honda Classic golf tournament, Friday, Feb. 23, 2018 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)Luke List took advantage of an early tee time Friday morning in the second round of a blustery Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
He doesn't have an early tee time today.
The former Baylor School and Vanderbilt University golfer will be in the final pairing of the third round after shooting a 4-under-par 66 Friday at PGA National to grab a share of the lead at 3 under with Jamie Lovemark, who had a 69. List, who had a 6:45 starting time on the 10th tee and played with Thomas Pieters, will tee off with Lovemark at 1:40 this afternoon.
Tommy Fleetwood (68), Russell Henley (70), Rory Sabbatini (69) and Webb Simpson (72) were tied for third at 2 under at the midway mark, while Daniel Berger (72), Louis Oosthuizen (72), Pieters (70) and Justin Thomas (72) were another stroke back in seventh.
Tiger Woods followed Thursday's 70 with a 71 and was four strokes out of the lead, tied for 14th in his third PGA Tour event since returning from a fourth back surgery.
"It was barely light when we teed off, and it was a twosome, so we kind of had to pace ourselves so we wouldn't be waiting too much," List said in an interview on PGATour.com. "It was a really enjoyable day."
As for the three other Baylor School graduates on the PGA Tour, Harris English (74) will play the weekend after finishing 5 over through two rounds to make the cut on the number, but Keith Mitchell (78) and Stephan Jaeger (76) were 9 over and 15 over, respectively.
List tallied five birdies and one bogey Friday to post the lowest score among the 141 participants who remained from the field of 144. The 33-year-old former Ringgold, Ga., resident who now lives in Seal Beach, Calif., had two birdies Thursday, when his promising round was undone by a triple-bogey 7 on the 16th hole.
"That was kind of a fluke," List said. "I had a weird lie in a bunker and made a bad swing. That's going to happen out here, and I'm really pleased with the way I've played. I've made a bunch of pars, and I'm just trying to hang on.
"The golf course is winning the weekend so far, and whoever hangs on the hardest is going to come out on top Sunday."
List, who is seeking his first PGA Tour triumph, entered the Honda Classic having earned $744,344.70 so far in the 2017-18 season, ranking 42nd on the money list. He had the lead at 9 under through two rounds of the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges this past October in Korea, but he shot a 4-over 76 in the third round and had to settle for a tie for fifth.
In the Honda Classic two years ago, List finished tied for 10th at 1-under.
List and Lovemark have the highest 36-hole leading score in the tournament's 12 years at PGA National.
Woods hasn't won since the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational, a World Golf Championship, but he survived a tough first two days.
"This is a difficult golf course right now," Woods told reporters after Friday's round. "Making pars is a good thing. I've done that, and I'm right there with a chance."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.