Thomas in third as Niemann holds record Riviera lead

Joaquin Niemann broke the 36-hole tournament record to take a two-shot lead into the weekend at the Genesis Invitational, where Justin Thomas also impressed.

Niemann, without a PGA Tour victory since 2019, fired his second successive 63 at Riviera Country Club to move to 16 under and two shots clear of Cameron Young.

Thomas is five off the halfway lead in third after bogey-free 64, with former world No 1's Adam Smith and Jordan Spieth in a share of fourth place after Collin Morikawa.

The highlight of Thomas' round was a 30-foot eagle at the par-five 11th, having also birdied three of his opening six holes, with back-to-back gains from the 16th taking him to 11 under.

"Shooting 11 under, I would have thought that I would probably be leading, not five back," Thomas said. "There's still a lot of golf left. I think the reason you see the scores, such disparity in them is because of how firm it is."

Scotland's Russell Knox leads the British interest and sits in tied-seventh on seven under with Norway's Viktor Hovland and Australia's Cameron Smith, while Rory McIlroy is in the group on three under after mixing two birdies with a lone bogey in a second-round 70.

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