Honolulu - Former Masters champion Zach Johnson seized a three-shot lead after firing a seven-under 66 in the second round of the PGA Tour's Tournament of Champions on Saturday.
“I don't know how many years I've been here. This is seven or eight probably and I've had maybe one or two decent finishes, but nothing so spectacular,” Johnson said.
“The more I get my feet here walking these grounds, I think the more comfortable I become.”
Johnson, a 10-time winner on the USPGA Tour, has a 13-under 133
total at the Kapalua Resort course.
Defending champ Dustin Johnson also shot 66 to reach 10-under and grab a share of second place with Jordan Spieth (70) and Matt Kuchar (68).
Michael Thompson (71) and Webb Simpson (71) are tied for fifth at nine-under, while Kevin Streelman (71) and Ryan Moore (71) are in seventh at eight-under.
Dustin Johnson drove his tee shot on the par-three eighth to within six feet and then made birdie to move into the lead at eight-under.
That was Johnson's fifth birdie in six holes, a stretch in which he made two long putts including one from 27 feet at the seventh.
Zach Johnson drained a putt from 23 feet for his third straight birdie at the eighth to claim the outright lead at 10-under.
“Looking back on it, I just think about the par-fives. I parred every one of them,” said Zach Johnson.
“I had a three-putt on one of them for par, which can happen. A couple missed opportunities.”
He took a two-shot lead after Spieth found a bunker with his second shot at the seventh and could not get up and down for par, dropping him to eight-under.
Thompson moved within a shot of Zach Johnson with a birdie at the eighth, but Johnson quickly regained his two-stroke cushion by rolling in a shot birdie putt at the 10th.
Johnson reached 13-under with a birdie at the 14th and closed with four straight pars. - Sapa-AFP