Dufner is -12 to lead Zurich Classic

Associated Press

AVONDALE, La.

Jason Dufner is in familiar territory atop the leaderboard after 36 holes.

It’s the weekends that have given him fits.

Dufner moved into position for another bid to win his first PGA Tour title, shooting a 7-under 65 on Friday to take the second-round lead in the Zurich Classic.

The former Auburn player has had at least a share of the 36-hole lead in two of his last four tournaments, including the Masters, where he closed with consecutive 75s. He’s second on the tour in pre-cut scoring, but 98th in third rounds and 108th in final rounds.

“It’s been a difficult weekend for me the last month and a half or so,” Dufner said. “I haven’t quite played as well as I would have liked, but I know that my game is still pretty good.

“I’ve been trying to think about what I can do better mentally, what I can do better emotionally out there and learn from some things that I maybe struggled with. Obviously, there’s a lot of different things that go into winning besides hitting the golf ball.”

Dufner lost a playoffs last year to Mark Wilson in the Phoenix Open and Keegan Bradley in the PGA Championship for two of his three runner-up finishes in 163 starts on the PGA Tour.

On Friday, he capped his bogey-free round with a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th to reach 12 under.

Warren’s Jason Kokrak shot his second-straight 70 and is eight strokes back at 4 under.

“I had a couple of easy birdies,” Dufner said. “I don’t think I missed a fairway or a green. Just had some tough reads. The greens are kind of tough to read.

“Then 18, I had just a really good number for my 5-wood to get somewhere on that green and had a putt that was down grain and breaking to the left with the grain, so that was a nice way to finish the day.”

PGA Tour rookie Russell Knox, John Rollins and first-round co-leader Ken Duke were tied for second. Knox shot a career-best 64, Rollins 66 and Duke 68.

Greg Chalmers holed out for an eagle on the par-4 first and also finished with a 64 to join Steve Stricker and Ernie Els at 10 under. Stricker and Els shot 68.

Knox and Chalmers matched the course record.