Taylor pushes ahead at halfway mark of Sony Open in Hawaii

Nick Taylor climbed into a two-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the Sony Open in Hawaii after carding an eight-under 62 on Friday.

The Canadian kick-started his second round with an eagle at the 18th hole – his ninth – before getting to 12 under at Waialae Country Club.

Taylor was one under through eight holes in his round before chipping in for the eagle, and he picked up another five shots on the back nine.

A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, Taylor is two shots clear of Stewart Cink (63), Webb Simpson (65), Russell Henley (64), Vaughn Taylor (66) and Chris Kirk (65).

Right at it. @NTaylorGolf59 nearly aces the par-3 17th @SonyOpenHawaii.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/3QMLHFjQvr

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 16, 2021

Henley is a former champion of the event, lifting the trophy in 2013, while Kirk was runner-up a year later.

On what is a congested leaderboard, another eight players are just a shot further back.

Joaquin Niemann (69) and Peter Malnati (69), who shared the overnight lead with Jason Kokrak (71), are among them, alongside Charley Hoffman (65), Collin Morikawa (65), Marc Leishman (65), Hideki Matsuyama (65), Billy Horschel (66) and Brendan Steele (66).

66-65 (-9) thru two rounds for @Collin_Morikawa. Shots like this are why he's 1 stroke off the lead @SonyOpenHawaii. pic.twitter.com/TDxTkc70Vk

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 16, 2021

Steele was runner-up last year and is again well-placed to contend after posting rounds of 65 and 66.

Horschel, meanwhile, is the only player in the field bogey-free through 36 holes. It is the third time in his PGA Tour career he has been bogey-free through two rounds.

Defending champion Cameron Smith carded a four-under 66 to sit at seven under – in a tie for 19th in a group that includes Kokrak.