Red-hot Bohn claims clubhouse lead

Jason Bohn had a long, hot and productive day on Friday, draining 12 birdies to take the clubhouse lead after his second round of the US Bank Championship.

Bohn is in at 11-under, two shots better than Jeff Sluman, Jerry Kelly, Nathan Green and DJ Trahan. First-round leader Corey Pavin is at 12-under but still has seven holes to go after play was suspended due to darkness.

One of over 100 golfers whose first rounds were postponed or suspended by Thursday’s rain, Bohn was forced to play 35 holes on Friday, when temperatures were in the mid-90s.

He made the most of them, putting together a late four-birdie run for a first-round 65 and going one better in his second round, where he had seven birdies against just one bogey.

“It was 35 holes of long, hot golf,” said Bohn, who won the BC Open a year ago. “I just tried to stay loose. Obviously, number one, you have to be hydrated. I can’t tell how many bottles of water I drank today. It never seemed like it was enough.”

Bohn was not upset with having to squeeze almost two rounds of golf into one day. In fact, he applauded the tournament’s decision to call play early Thursday.

“It gave us an opportunity to go home, get a good meal and get a good night’s sleep knowing we had a long day in front of us,” he said. “If we had stayed late to get a few more holes in, then we eat late, don’t get as much sleep and we aren’t in a good position to play good golf today.”

The schedule must have also agreed with Sluman, who played two full bogey-free rounds on Friday, carding a 66 and 65. He was five-under on six par-five holes.

“Sometimes you don’t feel like drinking water out there but you know you have to do it,” said Sluman, who won here in 1998 and 2002 and was fourth last year.

“Have a snack every three or for holes. Those are some things you learn after being out here.”

“It’s hard when you are sweating,” Bohn said. “You don’t feel like eating, especially when you are eating peanut butter and you can barely get your mouth open as it is. You’ve got to force yourself to eat.”

Asked how many bottles of water he drank, Sluman said: “I’d have to say 20 to 25. That’s a few. The caddies are probably (drinking) a little more. They are probably closer to one a hole.”

Kelly and Trahan also played 36 holes. Kelly had rounds of 64-67 and Trahan 66-65.

Trahan estimated his water intake at “at least half a bottle a hole, so maybe 15-18 bottles for the day. You never got a break. Even standing in the shade, sweat was pouring off you“.

The temperatures were about as hot as Pavin’s putter was on Thursday, when he set a record for the best nine holes in PGA Tour history. He went out in 26 en route to a 61, a record for the Brown Deer Golf Club.

The former US Open champion began on the back nine on Friday and carded three birdies. He will finish his second round Saturday, as will 77 other players.

Jason Day of Australia shot a second-round 64 and is at 132, three shots off the pace.

Defending champion Ben Crane played 35 holes and was then disqualified.