Brooks Koepka, who needed a sponsor exemption to play this week, fired a seven-under-par on 64 Friday to grab a one-shot lead after the second round of the US PGA Tour Frys.com Open.
Koepka finished 36 holes at 11-under 131 after making eight birdies and an eagle on day two at the CordeValle Golf Club course outside San Jose.
“It would be big,” Koepka said of a possible win. “Obviously, it would be nice to win and get status over here.”
The 23-year-old Koepka, who is seeking his first career win on the US PGA Tour, is one stroke in front of fellow American Jason Kokrak.
He has already enjoyed some success winning tournaments on the Challenge Tour in Europe but feels he is ready to take the next step and play full-time in the US.
“You play good and everything takes care of itself,” said Koepka, whose globetrotting ways paid off this year with thee wins on the Challenge Tour, Europe’s equivalent of the Web.com developmental tour.
Thanks to that success, he has European Tour status for the rest of 2013 and 2014. A win this week would give him US Tour playing privileges.
The $US5 million ($A5.3 million) tournament was previously part of the US PGA Tour’s Fall series, a slate of late-season events that in recent years gave rank-and-file pros a chance to earn prizemoney towards keeping their tour cards as bigger names took a break after the FedEx Cup playoffs.
This year, the event marks the start of the 2013-14 season and, like all six events that will be played before January, will offer FedEx Cup playoff points and a coveted Masters berth to the winner.
Kokrak made eagle on his final hole to close out a six-under 65 and jump into second place at 10-under 132.
Robert Garrigus fired an eight-under 63 to grab a share of third place with Jim Herman (66) at nine-under.
Camilo Villegas (66) had fifth place at eight-under, a stroke ahead of Scott Brown (67), South Korea’s Charlie Wi (68), Kevin Tway (65), Kyle Stanley (69) and Billy Hurley (66).
Japanese compatriots Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikawa were among a group of seven players tied for 11th place at six-under 136. Matsuyama is the highest-ranked player in the field at No.30.
Robert Allenby was the best of the Australians, five shots further back, on 141 after rounds of 68 and 73 – one stroke clear of Geoff Ogilvy.
Marc Leishman, John Senden, Scott Gardiner, Stuart Appleby and Aaron Baddeley were among those who failed to qualify.