Julien Brun closed with a 67 to reach 8-under and take the lead as play was suspended for the day at 13.52 local time due to high winds. Play is set to resume on Saturday at 7am local time.
7️⃣ birdies already today for @JulienBrun06 🇫🇷
He moves into the lead.#SDCChampionship pic.twitter.com/mLlvVYy25G
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 17, 2023
The Frenchman started on the back nine and benefitted from the milder morning conditions at St. Francis Links. He moved into contention with birdies at the 12th. 14th and 18th. He made four more birdies on his back nine as well as two bogeys to set the clubhouse target.
"Very different. It's the first time for me that I've seen the course without wind.
"It was definitely a lot more receptive and the greens were better as well so you could make more birdies and just have more fun out there.
"Yesterday was very, very tiring - a long day. You need a lot of mental energy just to keep the ball in play and score, which I did very well yesterday.
"The course is beautiful. It's a great place to play.
"I'm looking forward to (the weekend). It's nice to be in contention and to have a chance but there's a long way to go obviously."
Views from @StFrancisLinks 📸#SDCChampionship pic.twitter.com/6GhO7IQWQc
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 17, 2023
England's Mattheew Baldwin and South Africa's Albert Ventner also carded 67s and lie in a share of second place at 7under.
Tied alongside them is Sweden's Jens Dantorp who closed with a remarkable 63 featuring ten birdies and a single bogey, the lowest round of the week so far.
South Africa's Jean Hugo signed for a 67 and shares fifth place fifth place at 5-underwith overnight leaders Kristian Krogh Johannessen of Norway and France's David Ravetto who are through the 9th and 2nd hole respectively.
"My putter was so hot today it was unreal." 🔥@DantorpJens made TEN birdies in a second round of 63 (-9).#SDCChampionship
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 17, 2023
