Sep 13, 2008 - 7:01 PM
0 shoutsCONOVER, North Carolina (Ticker) -- R.W. Eaks has company atop the leaderboard at the Greater Hickory Classic.
Eaks carded a 4-under-par 68 on Saturday and is tied for the lead with Tom Jenkins at 15-under 129 after two rounds.
The defending champion, Eaks set the course record in the opening round, firing an 11-under 61 on Friday. He fired four birdies in a bogey-free round on Saturday but was unable to hold off Jenkins.
"It was a very uneventful round," Eaks said. "I just didn't get the speed of the greens today, but I still have a chance to win the tournament, so I have to be pleased with where I'm at."
After shooting a 64 on Friday, Jenkins shot 65 in the second round to grab a share of the lead.
Eaks birdied the first two holes and Jenkins answered with birdies at Nos. 3 and 4. Eaks had just two more birdies the rest of the day in a bogey-free round and Jenkins made his move in the middle of his round.
"My objective today was to try to catch up to him a little bit and stay close if I could," Jenkins said. "He was off to the races again. All in all, it was a pretty good round and it's going to be a fun day tomorrow."
Jenkins fired five consecutive birdies starting at No. 7. He had his lone bogey of the day at the 16th but rebounded to birdie 18 and tie Eaks for the lead.
"Tom's playing great and he's putting wonderfully, he's going to be tough to beat," Eaks said. "It's probably going to take something in the 20s (under-par) to win this thing. It doesn't take something in the 20s very often out here but it probably will this week."
Gil Morgan is in third, four strokes off the lead after a 66 and Mark Wiebe is at 10-under after a 67.
First prize is $255,000.
