A fast-finishing Ryan Brehm closed birdie-eagle for a five-under 67 on Friday to snatch the second-round lead in the Puerto Rico Open.
Brehm is making his final start on a minor medical extension and needs to win or finish second alone to retain his status.
He is the only player in the field bogey-free through 36 holes.
"It would be wrong to say you don't think about it, but realistically, since the beginning of this year we've just been trying to improve every day, every week," Brehm said.
"As long as we can do that, if we can take something away from each round, each situation, put some pressure on myself, we're going to learn from it.
Brehm birdied the par-4 17th and made a 30-footer for eagle on the par-5 18th to get to 11-under 133 at Grand Reserve.
"It was kind of boring until the end," said Brehm, winless on the PGA Tour.
"I feel like I had to scramble quite a bit, had some difficult up-and-downs, got them up-and-down, made a few good putts for par, kept the momentum going and finished birdie-eagle.
"Made a bomb on the last hole. You add it up, it's pretty good."
Max McGreevy (64), Satoshi Kodaira (66) and Michael Kim (69) were a stroke back. Callum Tarren (65) was nine under.
Kim shared the first-round lead after a 65. Since winning the John Deere Classic in 2018, he has made only 15 cuts in 75 starts on the PGA Tour, including one stretch of 25 consecutive events without making it to the weekend.
He was No. 75 in the world when he won and now is at No.1,030.
"Obviously, it wasn't as clean as yesterday, but got a few birdies to drop on the front nine," Kim said. "Overall, satisfied with the round."
University of Oklahoma senior Chris Gotterup was eight under after his second straight 68.
Making his PGA Tour
Read more on 7news.com.au
7news.com.au
