Nico Echavarria posted a 64 on Friday to reach 12-under a take his first 36-hole lead/co-lead on the PGA Tour at the Zozo Championship. His 128 total is also the Colombian’s career-low 36-hole score.
“I hit it good, I kept it in play. The front nine — or the first nine, the driver was a struggle a little, but it was in play and I got some good up-and-downs. Didn’t make many mistakes and the putter was still hot,” said Echavarria.
“I’ve never had a lead after 36 holes. I’ve had it after 54, but never after 36, so good to be in this position. Game feels good. Not much is going to change and hopefully we can keep putting it like that.”
Echavarria has won once previously on the PGA Tour, at the 2023 Puerto Rico Open.
First-round leader Taylor Moore of the USA carded a second-round 67 for a share of second place at 10-under alongside compatriot Justin Thomas whose bogey-free 64 featured an eagle at the par-5 18th.
Ireland’s Seamus Power closed with a bogey-free 8-under 62 for his career-best 18-hole score on Tour and the week’s low round. He lies in fourth place at 9-under alongside American Eric Cole (67) and Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan (66).
“Obviously when you shoot 62 most things go your way. It was interesting because it was kind of an unusual start. I ended up having to make a good par save on 1, 2 and 3. From there on it was a lot of good stuff, everything kind of felt pretty good. It was good yesterday, I just didn’t make the putts and today obviously was much better on the greens. Yeah, really like the golf course. It’s my first time here. I think it’s beautiful off the tee. It looks great to my eye. I just really enjoy it.”
The championship is co-sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) with a total of 14 JGTO members in the field.
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Nos. 1-50 in the FedExCup standings through the Tour Championship are locked in their positions, while Nos. 51 and beyond carry their FedExCup points into the Fall. Nos. 51-60 through the FedExCup Fall will qualify for two Signature Events in 2025: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Genesis Invitational. No players moved into Nos. 51-60 this week.
The Top 125 will be exempt into all Full-Field events and The Players next season and Nos. 126-150 will earn full Korn Ferry Tour status and conditional status on Tour next season.
