MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Harris English shot a 6-under 64 Friday to open a two-stroke lead in the St. Jude Classic here. The 23-year-old had never even had a piece of a lead on the PGA Tour until Thursday when he found himself tied with five others, including Davis Love III, after 18 holes. He used a hot putter to roll in five birdie putts, holed out from 181 yards for eagle on the par-4 fifth and had only one bogey to finish the second round at 10-under 130. “It's awesome to be in this position,” English said. “I've worked very hard the last couple weeks and couple months to get in this position, and I feel like I'm ready and I feel like I got a lot of good people around me to help me.” Shawn Stefani was second after a 65. Paul Haley II and Scott Stallings each shot 68 to reach 5-under. Love was tied with four others at 4 under after a 70, and defending champion Dustin Johnson also had a 70 to finish at 3-under. Phil Mickelson was 2-under after a 67 in his final tuneup for the US Open next week at Merion in Pennsylvania. Only four players had rounds of 4-under or better on a near perfect day at TPC Southwind. Doug Labelle II and Scott Verplank were the only other players to go at least 4-under with a 66 apiece. English was still an amateur when he won on the Web.com Tour at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational in July 2011, and he moved to the PGA Tour in 2012 and finished 79th on the money list. This year, he already has three top 10s, including his best finish yet with a tie for sixth at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. English started with three birdies in three holes, rolling in putts from 9, 10 and 17 feet. Then English had possibly the shot of the day on the par-4 No. 5 playing at 482 yards. After a 3-wood off the tee, he hit an 8-iron 181 yards from the fairway and watched the ball roll at least 10 feet before falling into the cup for eagle. English dropped a 15-footer on the par-4 15th to become the first player here to reach double-digits under par, and he added a 10-footer on the par-5 16th after hitting his shot from the rough just in front of the green. That birdie put him 11-under. Brandt Snedeker (143) and D.A. Points (148) missed the cut. Paul Goydos did too, but he did play Friday and shot a 72-145 after fearing he had re-injured his left wrist in the opening round. Choi grabs one-stroke lead South Korean Chella Choi used a blistering front nine to shoot a five-under-par 67 for a one-stroke lead after Friday's first round of the rain-delayed LPGA Championship at Locust Hill outside Rochester, New York. Choi, seeking her maiden LPGA Tour win, had five birdies on her outward half and offset a birdie at the 10th with a bogey at 13 for a one-shot edge over compatriot Jiyai Shin and American Morgan Pressel at the year's second major. British Women's Open champion Shin posted four birdies, three on the back nine, in a bogey-free round while Pressel finished with four consecutive birdies to register her 68. One stroke back was long-hitting American Brittany Lincicome, with compatriot Jessica Korda and Hall of Famer Pak Se-ri of South Korea another shot back on 70. Thursday's play was scrubbed following lightning and torrential rain that soaked the course, leading organizers to move three tees up and allow the players to lift, clean and place balls in the fairway. Among a large group tied at 71 were 2009 champion Anna Nordqvist of Sweden, 1994 and 1996 winner Laura Davies and Catriona Matthew of Briton, South Korean Amy Yang and Americans Angela Stafford and 18-year-old Lexi Thompson. Defending champion Shanshan Feng, the first golfer from mainland China to win a women's major, shot a two over-par 74. Organizers planned to stage the second round Saturday and squeeze in 36 holes to finish up Sunday. — Agencies
