Trace Crowe takes one-shot lead into Moving Day at Austin Championship

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Trace Crowe, the 18-hole leader of the Austin Championship presented by Compliance Solutions, finished his second round Saturday morning at 13 under to hold a one-shot lead through 36 holes after play was suspended for the second straight day by darkness.

Kevin Yu (12 under) managed to finish the second round Friday at the Fazio Canyons Course at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa with another 6-under 66. His tournament finish is not nearly as important as how he finishes the PGA Tour’s penultimate FedExCup Fall tournament.

Yu, who came into the week at No. 99 in the FedExCup Fall standings, finished with two good par putts and was at 12-under 132.

“If you think about it, it’s definitely a lot of pressure,” Yu said about the standings. “But on the golf course pressure’s not going to do anything good to you. I’m trying to just be myself on the course, try to hit good golf shots.

“If I just keep hitting good golf shots, the good golf is going to take care of itself.”

The PGA Tour season ends next week on the Georgia coast, and the top 100 are assured full status for 2027, a key year before the Tour shifts its competitive model.

Brian Harman, whose 2023 The Open title came with a five-year exemption, had a 66 and was at 11-under 133 along with Kristoffer Ventura (67), who also has status locked up for next year.

Crowe went 32 holes before finally making a bogey, going from the rough to well over the green on the 15th hole and missing a par putt from outside 20 feet.

The 36-hole cut came at 4-under 140 when play wrapped Saturday morning. That spelled trouble for Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who was on the bubble coming into the week, along with Davis Thompson.

Chris Kirk started at No. 102 and missed the cut, posting two rounds of 73.

Blades Brown, the 19-year-old who won in Mexico last week, hit a drive into the trees to start the back nine and made double bogey. He followed that with a bogey but closed with three birdies over his last five holes for a 70 that put him in the group at 9-under 135.

Another teenager, Miles Russell, completed his second round Saturday morning. The high school senior from Florida made five straight birdies and was 4 under for his round and at 9-under par for the tournament to share ninth with Brown.