A near-perfect ten puts Na at top of the tree

Seven birdies in his last ten holes saw home player Kevin Na tie Jhonattan Vegas and Charlie Wi on 12 under par at the top of the leaderboard after two rounds of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Nevada.

A birdie on the par-five ninth broke a run of seven pars in eight holes as Na got his birdie run under way.

“On nine I was just thinking hit the fairway and get a chance at eagle and I hit it in the rough,” Na said.

“Same spot I did yesterday. It’s the thickest part – thickest rough on the golf course. I had no shot, laid up. And I hit an eight-iron to about a foot and that’s where I think I got my round going.”

Na made a short putt for birdie on 10 and went on to make it six birdies on his back nine.

He added: “I turned around and hit it to a foot on 10, and 12 I hit it like six feet and made it.”

Na, making his first start since missing the cut at both The Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Championship, posted his best round in 18 tries at TPC Summerlin with an eight-under 63.

Vegas was four under for his second round, with South Korea’s Wi also reaching the same score with a five-under 66 two holes out from the 18th.

Pre-tournament favourite Nick Watney was in a group on 10 under, while Scot Martin Laird, a runner-up last year, was back on six under.