Justin Thomas followed up his opening 61 with a 2-under 69 having made two bogeys to reach 12-under and take a two-shot lead into the weekend at the RBC Heritage.
He holds his 14th career 36-hole lead/co-lead on Tour and his first since the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open where he finished T20. He is 6-for-13 in converting a 36-hole lead/co-lead to victory, most recently at the 2019 THE CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges.
“The golf course felt completely different [to Thursday]. It’s definitely firming up. We even noticed it just kind of on some chips, the pitch shots, like some wedges, the balls. Shots that I felt like I hit very nicely, and it just doesn’t — it’s not spinning as much. They’re getting crusty, and it’s fun.
“This place is so cool, I think, to play when it’s like this. It just puts such an emphasis on precision. I need to drive it a little bit better than I did today to be able to put it in better spots. It was a great grind to shoot a couple under today.
“I understand yesterday is a bit of a one-off, but I truly do feel like every time I tee it up at a place like this or Colonial, I can — when I’ve played it, I can make a bunch of birdies. Sawgrass, I feel the same way.
“If you get it in play, you can make so many birdies. It’s just, if you get it out of position off the tee, it’s extremely difficult. This place is even more so than those other spots.
“I just think it’s — you have a lot of shots. You’re not just grabbing a club off the tee and just hitting it. It requires way more thought and precision than that, I’d say.”
Thomas is making his 250th start on the PGA Tour and 59th since his most recent victory at the 2022 PGA Championship. He is making his 10th start of the season, with runner-up finishes at The American Express and Valspar Championship and entered the week at No. 11 in the FedExCup and No. 8 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
South Korean Si Woo Kim made an eagle at the par-5 5th and a single bogey for a 64 and a share of second place at 10-under. This was his lowest round on Tour since the 2024 Baycurrent Classic (64/R4) and marks his 25th career round of 7-under or better in his 880th career stroke-play round.
2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational champion Russell Henley carded a 68, his ninth straight under-par round at the event, for his share of second place.
American Andrew Novak fired an eagle at the par-5 5th and bogeyed the final hole for a 65 and a share of fourth place at 9-under.
Sharing fourth place is England’s Tommy Fleetwood who made one bogey and recorded a 66. He seeks his first PGA Tour title in his 153rd start. He has five runner-up finishes to his name, most recently at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open where he lost in the playoff.
World No. 1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler of the USA sits four shots back in T6. He is aiming for a third successful title defense on Tour (2023 WM Phoenix Open, 2024 Players Championship) and to become the first player to successfully defend a title at the RBC Heritage since Boo Weekley in 2008.
