Iwata, Kang tied for lead

Daniel Im of the United States (68) and Theunis Spangenberg (71) of South Africa were tied for third on 4 under alongside Haydn Porteous, who won the tour’s Joburg Open last month.

Romano did a pre-tournament interview on San Francisco’s KNBR and said he didn’t know Sung Kang, and actually corrected the interviewer, saying his name was “Sung Yang”. No offense taken. Kang didn’t know him, either.

Rose is among six players from the top 10 in the world, and this is his first time playing the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, partly because he chose not to play in the Middle East swing on the European Tour, and partly because of a partner (Timberlake) that he has come to know over the years.

Kang couldn’t agree more.

“I think he’ll remember me after today”, he said.

Kang thought the course was a par 72, so a 59 never crossed his mind standing on the par-3 ninth hole.

“From where I’ve been at, (where) I played them, they have pretty much all been par 4s for me, so it nearly feels like I’m playing them 7 over”, Spieth said. It was his best-ever score and the best ever shot at MPCC’s Shore Course, topping Charlie Wi’s 61 in the 2012 AT&T when the course was set up as a par 70.

His back nine featured three more birdies and two bogeys as he finished the round at seven-under, four shots behind co-leaders Sung Kang of Korea and Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata, who both finished the second round at 11-under the card.

Mickelson goes to Pebble Beach on Saturday as he goes after a record-tying fifth victory in this event.

If Mickelson can somehow survive the weekend, he could join Mark O’Meara as the only 5-time champion of Pebble Beach.

Australian world No. 3 Jason Day went on a back-nine birdie blitz at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am to rocket into contention after the second round. “The last piece is performing (in) the clutch”.

As for Kang, it’s anybody’s guess what he might do with two rounds to go.

“I get a new guy every year”, Romano lamented. He was let go by Tiger, however, and has caddied for veteran Jim Furyk since 1999. I was trying too hard. “It was just going in every single time”, Kang said. “I just couldn’t get it in the hole”, said the Masters and U.S. Open champion. In a practice round on Wednesday, Murray threw his club on the par-3 7th to entertain the crowds.

Kevin Chappell (76 at Pebble Beach), who owns a home in Kirkland, was tied for 104th at 2 over. “It kind of gets the momentum going basically. Then after we finished he said, ‘Hey, you beat your career round'”. “It will be my first competitive round ever at Pebble, so it will be a good day”. Then Sunday those who make the 54-hole cut play only at Pebble. He made a 35-footer on No. 9 and a 40-footer on No. 17.

He missed the green with what he called his “worst shot of the day” but confidently rattled in a par putt to claim his share of the lead.