Photo credit: @SwingMasterGolf

By Jeremy Harness

NAPA–A familiar face is on top of the leaderboard now.

Brandt Snedeker grabbed the lead on Friday, as she shot a seven-under round of 65, using a high-powered front nine that featured five birdies to go ahead by three shots at the Safeway Open at Silverado Golf Resort.

He kept the momentum going on the back side, recording three birdies without a single bogey, including back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th to close the second round out in grand fashion.

Snedeker, the man with the never-changing, simple putting stroke, has nine wins in his PGA Tour career, the most recent one coming in the Wyndham Championship in August to close out the 2017-18 regular season.

“I’ve played pretty solid golf all the way around,” said Snedeker, who played with Champions Tour regular Fred Couples on Friday. “I only played, really, two poor shots all day today, was able to get up and down on one hole and didn’t get up and down on the other hole.

“We had a great group, we had a fun time out there. Freddie kind of keeps everybody relaxed, and part of the reason why I played so well the first two days is playing with him.” Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson stayed within striking distance in the second round, although his Friday round of 69 was four shots worse than the 65 he shot in Thursday’s opening round.

He got off to a fantastic start to the front nine, recording four birdies without a bogey, but things started to go sideways for him on the back side. He birdied the 10th and was in the lead at that point, he bogeyed the 13th and 14th holes before dropping another shot at the 17th before getting things together with a birdie at the par-5 18th.

Mickelson is tied with Ryan Moore, who is perhaps best known for clinching the Ryder Cup for the United States two years ago at Hazeltine, at 10-under par and three strokes behind Snedeker.

“I’m casually optimistic,” Mickelson said. “It’s certainly turning from pessimistic because I didn’t think I was going to be here on the weekend, and the next things you know, I’m on top of the leaderboard.

“I’ve hit a lot of good shots, I’m really surprised.”