NeSmith ties Copperhead course record to lead after second round

Matthew NeSmith tied the Copperhead course record at Innisbrook with a 10-under 61, setting up a two-stroke lead after the second round of the Valspar Championship.

NeSmith finished on 14-under-par after rolling through the opening nine at Copperhead, notching up six birdies.

The highlight, however, was his eagle on the par-five 14th hole, before closing out the round. His 61 tied the course record set by Padraig Harrington in 2012.

He also broke the 36-hole record at the Valspar Championship that Sam Burns and Keegan Bradley set a year ago.

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Defending champion Burns remains in contention, recovering from a bogey on the par-five 11th to also post an eagle on the 14th, and finish on four-under-par for the day.

He and Scott Stallings are three strokes behind NeSmith on 11-under-par.

Adam Hadwin sits alone on 12-under-par after he finished Friday with a five-under-par 66. The Canadian's lone victory on the PGA Tour came at Innisbrook in 2017.

Meanwhile, Justin Thomas sits at 10-under-par, bouncing back from a double bogey on the par-four seventh to post an eventual five-under-par 66.

Following wild weather in Florida, which caused scheduling havoc at The Players Championship at Sawgrass last weekend, the greens at Innisbrook have responded well.

According to Thomas, it influenced him taking needless risk on that seventh hole.

"I should have just tried to hit it in the front bunker and it was a pretty easy up-and-down," he said.

"As good as I felt with my putter, I felt like if I got it on the green, I could make a three. But it wasn't necessary. It just didn't really need to happen."

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