Garcia, Palmer share lead at Nelson

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Sergio Garcia and Ryan Palmer took a share of the lead at 8-under 132 after a windy second round at the Byron Nelson Championship on Friday.

Garcia posted his second consecutive 4-under 66, just days after withdrawing from a British Open qualifier and passing up a practice round at the TPC Four Seasons course outside Dallas because of an infected fingernail on his left hand.

After a bogey on the 523-yard par-4 third hole when his approach flew over the green, the Spanish golfer birdied three of the next four holes and was bogey-free the rest of his round.

Despite playing in windy conditions, with gusts blowing at up to 36 mph (58 kph), he hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens.

"You would be happy with those stats on a day with not much wind," Garcia said.

The 31-year-old also shot out of a bunker to 7 feet to save par at No. 14, then had a 45-foot chip-in birdie on the 15th. Playing into the wind the rest of the way, he had pars on the last three holes.

Garcia, the 2004 Byron Nelson champion, hasn't won a tournament since 2008.

"When I'm feeling good, even in windy conditions like today, I feel like I can control the ball flight and I can hit some good, solid shots," Garcia said. "It's going to be tough out there. I just need to make sure that I stay positive and just try to trust myself as much as I can."

Palmer, who shot a 67, had made the cut only once in seven previous appearances at the event, shooting nine consecutive rounds over par before this week when caddie James Edmondson is calling his shots.

"He's never played good here and we finally decided that I was going to take over and just lead the horse around the ranch," Edmondson said.

Palmer opened with a 65 on Thursday and had only one bogey in the second round when missed the green with his approach on the 15th and two-putted from 17 feet.

He had pars the rest of the way, using a 5-wood for the second consecutive day at No. 18, where he had a 25-foot birdie attempt just roll by the cup.

"I keep surprising myself how calm I am when it's that way. ... This is a golf course that I've struggled on so it's nice to not to think about it, just get up and hit the shot, and if I don't hit the shots it's on me," Palmer said. "So it's nice to be free-swinging like that."

Tim Petrovic (66) and Scott Piercy (69) were three strokes back at 5 under. Nick Watney (68), Joe Ogilvie (70) and Chad Collins (69) followed at 4 under.

First-round leader Jeff Overton followed his opening 64 with a 74 that including consecutive bogeys to end his round.

Seventy-four players made the cut at 3 over, including defending champion Jason Day of Australia (71).

For the second year in a row, amateur 17-year-old Jordan Spieth from Dallas made it past the second round. After his 2-under 68 Friday, he was in a group of six players at 3 under.