Hot! Honda Classic

PALM BEACH GARDENS provides racked up a reasonably eclectic travelogue while investing near to 22 decades whacking a bit white-colored ball surrounding the globe.

Five years about the European Tour. Before that, time frame about the Asian Tour as well as inside South Africa. He gained your 1994 Jamaican Open. Total it almost all up, as well as they've visited 26 countries.

And with Friday, the superior of any PGA Tour leaderboard.

"I've in no way brought available here," Gillis claimed after his 6-under-par 64 gave the pup your talk about connected with your Honda Classic cause with Justin Rose. "I form of needed to do that the following week.

"Earlier while in the full week I has been I'm going to loosen through to Thursday and also Friday observe therapies could do."

It was sufficient to match your Honda's scoring history from PGA National until finally Brian Harman followed along in order to stomp it to help pieces.

Some two working hours once Gillis signed his scorecard, the particular PGA Tour rookie's 9-under 61 bettered every reduced round documented about any of the Honda's seven lessons scattered across South Florida over the previous 40 years.

Harman possibly had a possibility with the magical 59, standing up throughout the particular fairway in the 18th with his places upon an eagle. But his solution shot came straight down just simple of the green, along with he wound up using a par.

"Just a type of ridiculous days and nights where by anything happens together," said Harman, exactly who shifted coming from 107th place on Thursday that will two game heli-copter flight lead. "Got away from to somewhat of a truly hot start plus simply just saved the pedal straight down just about all day. It was awesome."

Gillis and Rose reached the Honda's midway point with 8-under 132, matching a minimal 36-hole whole considering that event went to be able to PGA National personal trainer several years ago. That saved these people one particular step ahead of time with Rory McIlroy (67), no one can control No.1 on this planet search positions which has a succeed this week.

Dicky Pride (67) also appeared to be a chance back, accompanied by means of Harman, Vaughn Taylor (66) and also Jimmy Walker (67).

Though Friday's scoring average regarding 70.94 seemed to be a little bit above Thursday, it featured several 64s as well as Harman's 61.

"You could see ratings like that currently being shot away here," McIlroy said. "But this course is just not in relation to making a pile of birdies. It's in relation to preserving the particular massive numbers down your card."

Gillis, 43, has been doing in which superior to any one consequently far that week, along with simply one bogey by means of 36 holes. The Michigan native's ideal PGA Tour conclude can be a wrap intended for third, coming 2009 at Pebble Beach.

He'll be the first to be able to acknowledge they have a new later bloomer. Gillis almost left the sport five many years ago, having done in the garden the very best a hundred to the Nationwide Tour cash list. But once considering a new profession change, your dog made a decision he would best retain playing.

"The employment sector was not extremely good," he said. "Didn't use a whole lot to consider , for you to always be fairly honest having you. So I thought I'd greater submit along with turn back in existence and check if I possess anything left. It's sorts of a nice story."

jshain@tribune.com. Read Jeff Shain 's blog, The Downswing, at OrlandoSentinel.com/golfblog.