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Playa del Carmen, Mexico • Graeme McDowell, determined to get his game turned around, saw more results Friday when he ran off seven birdies in an eight-hole stretch Friday for an 8-under 63 and a one-shot lead in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.
McDowell relied on his strengths — hitting fairways and making putts — to close out the back nine with three straight birdies. After a bogey on No. 1, he bounced back with four straight birdies to take the lead in the morning at El Camaleon Golf Club.
No one caught him in the afternoon.
Derek Fathauer made four birdies over his last seven holes for a 66 to get within one shot of McDowell. PGA Tour rookie Harold Varner III birdied four of his last five holes for a 62 to join Si Woo Kim (64) two shots behind.
McDowell was at 12-under 130.
"The two biggest keys to the year have been the driver and putter, the two things that haven't been performing this season and probably are my strengths," McDowell said. "I drove the ball much, much better, and I putted just as good today as I did yesterday. I'm putting nicely and decisively. The hole looks pretty big right now."
The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland started the year at No. 15 in the world and has fallen all the way to No. 85. His best finish this year was a tie for ninth in the Dubai Desert Classic. McDowell has been grinding hard since June, and he has been seeing signs of it getting better..
LPGA Tour
In Mexico City, Minjee Lee shot her second straight 3-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead over four players in the LPGA Tour's Lorena Ochoa Invitational. The 19-year-old Australian player two-putted from 50 feet on the par-5 17th for the last of her six birdies at tree-lined Club de Golf Mexico. She won at Kingsmill in May for her first LPGA Tour title.
Second-ranked Inbee Park, defending champion Christina Kim, Angela Stanford and rookie of the year Sei Young Kim were tied for second in the 36-player event. —
Leaderboard
OHL Classic at Mayakoba
At El Camaleon Golf Club
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Purse • $6.2 million
Yardage • 6,987 Par • 71
Second round
a-amateur
Graeme McDowell 67-63—130 -12
Derek Fathauer 65-66—131 -11
Si Woo Kim 68-64—132 -10
Harold Varner III 70-62—132 -10
Patrick Rodgers 67-66—133 -9
Jason Bohn 70-63—133 -9
Justin Leonard 65-68—133 -9
Shawn Stefani 65-68—133 -9
Brice Garnett 67-66—133 -9
Johnson Wagner 67-67—134 -8
Scott Brown 67-67—134 -8
Spencer Levin 68-66—134 -8
Michael Thompson 66-68—134 -8
Will Wilcox 69-66—135 -7
Camilo Villegas 67-68—135 -7
Russell Knox 70-65—135 -7
Zac Blair 68-67—135 -7
Jason Kokrak 68-67—135 -7
Colt Knost 67-68—135 -7
Jim Herman 69-67—136 -6
Kevin Streelman 69-67—136 -6
Henrik Norlander 68-68—136 -6
D.H. Lee 69-68—137 -5
Jerry Kelly 68-69—137 -5
Will MacKenzie 67-70—137 -5
Andres Gonzales 71-66—137 -5
Wes Roach 70-67—137 -5
Hunter Stewart 68-69—137 -5
Boo Weekley 67-70—137 -5
Whee Kim 69-68—137 -5
D.J. Trahan 66-71—137 -5
Jason Dufner 71-66—137 -5
Blake Adams 68-69—137 -5
Charles Howell III 66-71—137 -5
Patton Kizzire 66-71—137 -5
a-Jon Rahm 69-68—137 -5