WAIKOLOA, Hawaii – The only thing hotter Friday on the Big Island than Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was Cameron Wilson.
The Stanford senior, who started the day in a tie for seventh, blitzed through Waikoloa Kings’ Course with a 7-under 65 in the second round of the Amer Ari Invitational to sit atop the leaderboard heading into Saturday’s final round.
Wilson also carded a 65 in the second round of last fall’s Fighting Illini Invitational.
Wilson was 4-under through his first eight holes on the par-72 course, beginning on the 11th and shelving birdies on 14, 15, 16 and 18. He would go on to birdie two, three, four and five before a bogey on sixth proved to be his only blemish. Wilson has played the back nine at 12-under through two rounds.
Stanford is tied for 10th on the leaderboard with Arizona State, both sitting at 19-under. Oklahoma State leads the 20-team field at 28-under.
Final scores at lunch: CW 65 (-7) DB 69 (-3) PR 70 (-2) VB & MM 72s (E) pic.twitter.com/BjA7YcAXBS
— ByTheMinStanfordGolf (@ByTheMinSMGolf) February 7, 2014
Patrick Rodgers’ 2-under 70 came with seven birdies and an up-and-down back half of the day. Rodgers is tied for 25th.
David Boote took five shots off of his opening-round with a 2-under 70, including an eagle on the par-5 fourth.
Holes #3 and #6 form a double-green here @WaikoloaGolf . No palm trees at St.Andrews though! pic.twitter.com/ehyUrH5hx7
— ByTheMinStanfordGolf (@ByTheMinSMGolf) February 7, 2014
Viraat Badhwar played the front nine at 1-under to finish at even. Maverick McNealy posted an even score for the second straight day.
Patrick Grimes posted a 77 and Jim Liu shot an 80.