HONOLULU — Carl Yuan soaked up the views at the Sony Open, not just his name atop the leaderboard when he finished his second round Friday but just being in Hawaii to start his PGA Tour season.
If not for Jon Rahm, the 26-year-old Yuan wouldn’t be here.
Yuan finished at No. 126 in the FedEx Cup last November by one point and was getting ready to earn his card back through Q-school. And then Rahm bolted for the Saudi riches of LIV Golf. The tour suspended Rahm and removed him from the FedEx Cup standings.
Yuan moved up one spot to No. 125, had his full card and got into the Sony Open. And then he posted a 5-under 65 on Friday, finishing with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 closing hole at Waialae, for a three-way share of the lead.
“I was very thrilled,” Yuan said. “It gives me another chance to improve and get better.”
Yuan was at 9-under 131. Former Oklahoma State star Austin Eckroat had a 66 and Byeong Hun An, coming off a strong start at Kapalua last week, shot 64 to join him.
The big drama as darkness fell was the cut. Joel Dahmen had a 5-foot birdie putt on his final hole that would have moved the cut to 3-under 137. He missed, letting 17 players into the weekend, a group that includes Hideki Matsuyama, who birdied his last two holes.
Carl Yuan celebrates his shot on the 17th green during the second round of the Sony Open golf event, Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. Credit: AP/Matt York
Among those missing the cut was Gary Woodland, playing for the first time after his Sept. 18 brain surgery to remove a benign tumor that was causing anxiety and fear of dying.
Woodland’s voice choked during his Golf Channel interview when he talked about the support he had while trying to overcome such a frightening period.
“There was a time where I didn’t know if this was going to be possible,” said Woodland, who shot a second straight 71 on Friday. “It was a good week for me from a mental standpoint. I needed to be mentally sharp to get…
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