Ex-Navy Hurley leads CIMB Classic

Hurley, who served as a lieutenant on board a U.S. Navy destroyer from 2007 to 2009 in the Persian Gulf, knows he must be on top of his game to fend off a caliber chasing pack.

UNITED STATES ex-Navy Billy Hurley hit a purple patch with identical 67s in both rounds of the CIMB Classic to lead the stellar cast by 10-under 134 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC).
    Overnight leader Rikard Karlberg of Sweden burst his bubble with a 76, after a super 65, to end tied-25th. A massive fall from grace, as he battled with the tricky greens.
   Kevin Streelman of the United States is alone second  at eight-under 136, after shooting identical 68s in both rounds.
    Seven players are bunched at joint third with seven-under 137 total, and leading the chase here is defending chanpion Ryan Moore (US), Noh Seung-Yul (S Kor), Jeff Overton (US), Kevin Chappell (US), Sergio Garcia (Sp), Lee Westwood (Eng) and Kevin Na (US).
   And it looks like the lead is going to change hands from Navy to civilian again today.
  "I played nicely. I even played a little bit better probably than the score is on the front side, you know, one bad swing, but hit a lot of really good putts that kind of just hit the edge.
   "If you would have just hit the edge on the first nine and you make them all on the back nine, then you feel a little bit better about it than doing it the other way around, but at the end of the day it's the same score, so I'm happy with 10 under for two days."
    And on his decision to join the US Navy before turning pro:  "I loved being in the Navy, and still have great memories and great friends from being in the Navy. If I didn't want to play golf, I'd probably still be in the Navy right now, but I'm happy to be out here and be kind of representing the Navy and the Naval Academy on the PGA Tour."
   The Navy-man was realistic that his two-shot lead is still shaky going into the third.
   "There are 36 holes of golf left. A two shot lead is better than a one shot lead, but it's not quite as good as a four shot lead. You always want to have more.
   "That's the funny thing about golf is you feel like you always could have played better. My wife actually hates me for that, or she hates golf for that. I'm like, ah, I could have always been one better, and she tells me, I don't want to hear about that."
   Hole-in-one hero Lee Westwood of England keep pace with the leader: "I played nicely, got off to a good start, birdied the first couple of holes, kept it going. Obviously hit a great shot at 11, the rescue; that was the highlight of the round, went in the hole. 
   "You know, you need a bit of luck, but at the same time you gotta hit well and straight, so it happens now and again. And went back out after the rain delay and birdied two of the last three and had a really good chance at 17 as well to about eight feet, so pleased with the way I finished, and 65 has got me right into the tournament.
    And on his ace at the 11th: "I was aiming towards 20 feet left of the hole and trying to hit a bit of a high cut because it was just too much club. It just came out perfect. It just shot out about 20 feet left and high fade and landed nicely on the ridge, and then it kicked a bit left and ran up there and went straight in the middle. Just sometimes that happens. It's 226 yards today (yesterday) and into the wind, so you know, it's going to be one of the hardest holes on the golf course."

SECOND ROUND SCORES:
134  Billy Hurley III (US) 67-67.
136  Kevin Streelman (US) 68-68.
137  Seung-Yul Noh (S Kor) 68-69, Jeff Overton (US) 68-69, Kevin Chappell (US) 69-68, Ryan Moore (US) 68-69, Sergio Garcia (Sp) 69-68, Lee Westwood (Eng) 72-65, Kevin Na (US) 69-68.
138  Jonas Blixt (Swe) 69-69, Danny Lee (NZ) 69-69.
139  Brian Stuard (US) 67-72, Cameron Smith (AUS) 70-69, Davis Love III (US) 68-71, Sang-Moon Bae (S Kor) 71-68, Prom Meesawat (Thai) 68-71, Angelo Que (Phil) 67-72.
140  Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 70-70, John Senden (Aus) 72-68, Billy Horschel (US) 72-68, David Lingmerth (Swe) 68-72, Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn) 69-71, Patrick Reed (US) 70-70.
141  Mike Weir (Can) 73-68, Paul Casey (Eng) 73-68, Rikard Karlberg (Swe) 65-76, Gary Woodland (US) 71-70, Luke Guthrie (US) 73-68.
142  Charlie Wi (S Kor) 72-70, Will MacKenzie (US) 69-73, Matt Every (US) 69-73, Nicholas Thompson (US) 69-73, Jason Knutzon (US) 72-70, Rory Sabbatini (SA) 70-72.
143  Brendon de Jonge (Zim) 70-73, Stephen Lewton (Eng) 74-69, Michael Putnam (US) 71-72, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 75-68.
144  Chris Stroud (US) 70-74, Antonio Lascuna (Phi) 72-72, Jonathan Byrd (US) 70-74, Jason Dufner (US) 74-70, Charl Schwartzel (SA) 74-70, Heath Slocum (US) 71-73, Trevor Immelman (SA) 74-70, Retief Goosen (SA) 74-70, Steven Bowditch (Aus) 71-73.
145  Brice Garnett (US) 70-75, Scott Stallings (US) 69-76, Jhonattan Vegas (Ven) 74-71, K.J. Choi (S Kor) 71-74, Pat Perez (US) 72-73.
146  Tim Clark (SA) 72-74, Anirban Lahiri (Ind) 74-72, Marc Leishman (Aus) 74-72, Robert Allenby (Aus) 73-73, Brian Davis (Eng) 71-75, Morgan Hoffmann (US) 72-74.
147  Boo Weekley (US) 75-72, Tian-Lang Guan (am, Ch) 76-71, Nicholas Fung (Mas) 73-74, Tim Wilkinson (NZ) 68-79, David Lipsky (US) 74-73, Stewart Cink (US) 74-73, Kyle Stanley (US) 76-71, Troy Merritt (US) 72-75.
148  Ricky Barnes (US) 71-77, Carlos Ortiz (Mex) 76-72.
149  Will Wilcox (US) 75-74, Danny Chia (Mas) 75-74.
150  Matt Jones (Aus) 81-69, Chesson Hadley (US) 75-75.
151  Roberto Castro (US) 77-74, Charlie Beljan (US) 76-75, James Hahn (US) 74-77.
152  J.B. Holmes (US) 75-77.
153  Seuk-hyun Baek (S Kor) 81-72.