Valspar Championship Round 2: Jacob Bridgeman Holds On as Viktor Hovland Finds Something

Jacob Bridgeman spent most of a cold Friday at Innisbrook building a two-shot cushion. Then a 4-foot par putt on his final hole slid by, and the cushion became a single stroke. It still counts as a lead, and it is the first 36-hole lead of his PGA TOUR career.

Bridgeman shot 2-under 69 on the Copperhead Course to reach 6-under 136 at the Valspar Championship. One shot back at 5 under is a trio with very different stories: Viktor Hovland (67), Byeong Hun An (67) and Ryo Hisatsune (66). Shane Lowry, Xander Schauffele, Kevin Velo and Jeremy Paul are two back at 4 under, and the whole field that made it to the weekend is packed inside eight shots.

The Kid With the Eagles

Bridgeman's round was not tidy, and that is part of the charm. The headline was an eagle at the par-5 11th, his second eagle of the week and the first time he has made more than one in a single TOUR event, according to the PGA TOUR. Around it he made three birdies and three bogeys. His misses, he explained afterward, mostly ended up in bunkers he could still play to the green from, which on this course is what passes for good fortune.

The miss on 18 will sting overnight, but the bigger picture is clear. This is the 25-year-old's ninth start of the season, and he is coming off a career-best tie for second at the Cognizant Classic. He has been knocking on the door. Now he gets to find out what it feels like to sleep on a lead.

Hovland, Still Searching, Still There

Hovland is the most interesting name on the board, and not because he leads. It is because he does not quite know how he got here. The 2023 FedExCup champion has bounced between coaches while trying to fix a swing that has not cooperated, and he is now in a second stint with Grant Waite. He opened THE PLAYERS last week with an 80. This is his first made 36-hole cut since the Genesis Scottish Open last July.

"I still don't exactly know where the ball's going to start and curve and all that stuff," Hovland said, per the AP. "But if you're hitting solid shots, that's a good start, especially out here when the wind is starting to blow."

He was even more blunt about where things stand. "Still doesn't feel quite that great, but at least it's improvement," he said. A 67 in these conditions is a lot of improvement, and it earned him a spot in Saturday's final group. A seventh TOUR win would be his first since the 2023 TOUR Championship.

The Rest of the Chase

An's 67 matched Hovland's and kept him firmly in the mix. He is still chasing a first PGA TOUR win in his 211th start, with five runner-up finishes on the résumé. Hisatsune posted the low round of the leaders, a 66 that matched his best score of the season, and closed it by birdieing three of his last five holes. He had made only one cut in his previous five starts, so this one came out of nowhere.

Lowry played one nine like a man possessed, making six birdies, then cooled off on the other side and still signed for 67. "I played that nine holes pretty flawlessly. Didn't really miss many shots," Lowry said. "Unfortunately, I wasn't as good on the other nine."

Schauffele, three events into his comeback from a rib injury, shot 68 to sit two back. Rounds of 81 and 77 in recent weeks showed how rough the return has been, which makes this weekend spot feel like a real step. "This is one of those places where it can get away from you quick," Schauffele said. "So I'm just trying to play golf."

Velo, who had to come back Friday morning to finish off his first round, shot 70 to stay in the group at 4 under. Thursday co-leader Ricky Castillo is three back.

The Cut Line Drama

The cut fell at 2-over 144, and Adam Scott barely snuck in, birdieing two of his last three holes to make it on the number. Not everyone found that late spark. Cameron Young and Luke Donald were well off the pace, and Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson, Webb Simpson and Sam Burns all head home early. Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth both made it to the weekend after rough Thursdays, which matters on a board this bunched.

Moving Day Math

Eight shots now separate the leader from the last player inside the cut. That is not a lead. That is an invitation. The Copperhead Course has been playing tough enough that a good Saturday can launch someone from the middle of the pack into the final groups, and the Snake Pit waits at the end of every round to settle a few arguments.

Bridgeman holds the pen for now, with a newly confident Hovland right beside him and plenty of company close enough to hear the conversation.

Catch up on how Thursday unfolded in our Round 1 recap. Full scoring is on the official PGA TOUR leaderboard (opens in a new tab), and the TOUR's Round 2 recap (opens in a new tab) has more.

Sources: PGA TOUR (Round 2 recap and leaderboard), AP, Golf Today. More golf coverage on Undrafted.

Photo: PGA TOUR.