Jordan Spieth, who is seeking his first win since the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale, maintained his second round lead by also shooting a 71 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
This left him two shots ahead of a group of five players at 11 under, including Scotland’s Russell Knox, who shot three birdies in a bogey-free 69.
Australia’s Jason Day is among the quartet sharing seventh place including Paul Casey, on a day in which the lowest round was a 67.
Casey had only one blunder, but that was a double-bogey five sandwiched between two birdies at the fourth and sixth. He made a birdie three at the 11th alongside eight pars on his homeward nine.
Spieth had three birdies against one bogey on his front nine, stumbled with bogeys at the 10th, 12th and 14th, but recovered in spectacular fashion – holing out with an eight-iron from 160 yards for an eagle two on the 16th.
England’s Tom Lewis dropped to a share of 16th at seven under with a two-over 74, while countryman Ben Taylor dropped to equal 53rd with a 75.
Irish interest ended after the second round when Seamus Power missed the cut.
