Phoenix Open 2020: J.B. Holmes Surges into Lead with 2nd-Round 65

J.B. Holmes was the 99th-ranked golfer in the world heading into the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Now he's leading the field after two rounds—and primed for a big Saturday—after shooting a 65 Friday with six birdies and an eagle. He could've stretched his lead over Wyndham Clark a bit more had he not finished his round with a bogey on 18.

That may haunt him moving forward as Clark, who shot 69 in his second round, remains in second place after leading the tournament entering Friday. 

With the cut at -1, here's a look at the leaderboard heading into moving day.

Waste Management Phoenix Open Leaderboard

1. J.B. Holmes -13 

2. Wyndham Clark -12

T3. Billy Horschel -11

T3. Byeong Hun An -11

5. Scott Piercy -10

T6. Hudson Swafford -9

T6. Nate Lashley -9

T8. Adam Long -8

T8. Branden Grace -8

T8. Xander Schauffele -8

T8. Webb Simpson -8

T12. Bubba Watson -7

T12. Tony Finau -7

T12. Jon Rahm -7

T12. Keith Mitchell -7

T12. C.T. Pan -7

One of the most surprising developments on Friday was the inability of Jordan Spieth (+1) to make the cut. After shooting a 74 on Thursday, Spieth came back with a 69 Friday, missing the cut by just two strokes. A birdie on his final hole of the day would've kept Spieth in play on Saturday. Instead he finished with a bogey and will spend the rest of the weekend on the sidelines. 

"I just really wanted it," Spieth told Golf Channel's Will Gray afterward. "I wanted to play the weekend. I had a bunch of buddies coming into town, wanted to kind of give them something to watch the next couple days. When I couldn't do the easy part for me, which is putting, that's what was so frustrating. It hasn't been like that. It's been putting saving me, and today it was kind of a little bit of the opposite."

The former No. 1 golfer in the world was ranked 51st heading into the Phoenix Open. He'll likely continue to slide down following this week's showing.

It was essentially the opposite of what Rickie Fowler (-3) accomplished Friday. Like Spieth, Fowler opened up with a 74 in his first round, only the reigning Phoenix Open champion bounced back on Day 2 with a 65 to jump into a tie for 40h overall on the leaderboard thanks to multiple eagles in a six-under round. 

"I'm happy with today, coming back and playing well on the front nine to make it a little easier," Fowler told Gray. "Just happy with how we turned the driver around. That allowed us to go do what we did today, and I think we've got some low ones in us this weekend."

Among the notable names to miss the cut were Matt Jones (even), Brandt Snedeker (+2), Luke Donald (+2), and Charl Schwartzel (+4). Charley Hoffman (-1) nearly joined that list before a beautiful bunker shot on 18 landed inches from the pin, allowing him to tap in for birdie and sneak into the Saturday field.