Max Homa racked up 10 birdies, fired an 8-under-par 62 and grabbed the lead at the BMW Championship on Friday at Olympia Fields (Ill) Country Club.
Homa, who broke the course record for PGA Tour and major championship events, piled up six of his birdies on the back nine to get to 10-under 130 for the event.
He is two shots ahead of Chris Kirk, who posted his second straight 66, entering the weekend at the FedEx Cup playoffs' second of three events.
Matt Fitzpatrick of England (67 on Friday) and first-round co-leader Brian Harman (68) are tied for third at 7 under.
Big day for leader @MaxHoma23 💪 pic.twitter.com/pi95KQDLQ0
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 18, 2023
Homa entered the week No 6 in FedEx Cup points and would rocket to No 1 with a victory at the BMW, allowing him to start next week's Tour Championship with a two-stroke advantage on the field.
After going out in 32 with four birdies and a bogey, Homa sank a 13-foot birdie putt at the par-4 10th hole and a downhill, right-to-left birdie putt from 22 feet at the par-4 11th.
He rang up three more in a row at Nos. 13-15, from 18, 13 and 6 feet away, respectively.
Homa took his second bogey of the day at the par-3 16th hole when his tee shot nearly found a water hazard, but he rebounded at No 17 with his 10th birdie, a 21-footer.
✅ Matches career-low 62
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 18, 2023
✅ Sets course record at Olympia Fields
✅ Takes solo lead by 2 @BMWChamps
Have a day @MaxHoma23 👏 pic.twitter.com/o9jx93x4eT
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who shared the first-round lead with Harman, had just one birdie and one bogey on his card Friday for a 70.
He stayed at 5 under and heads to the weekend tied for fifth with World No 1 Scottie Scheffler (69 Friday), Rickie Fowler (69), Harris English (67) and England's Justin Rose (65).
Two-time defending champion Patrick Cantlay shot his second straight 68 and is part of a tie for 10th at 4 under.
FedEx Cup points leader Jon Rahm of Spain tied for the worst round of the day, a 4-over 74 with no birdies, and dropped to 2 over for the week.
Hideki Matsuyama of Japan withdrew before his second-round tee time due to a back injury. He will not qualify for the Tour Championship.