Christiaan Bezuidenhout solidified his position in the PGA Tour’s American Express tournament on Friday with a second round of five-under-par 67 lifting him to a share of 21^st place.

While that represented a 21-spot climb up the leaderboard to nine-under-par through 36 holes, it left him nine shots off the lead held by a charging Davis Thompson of the United States. Thompson made three eagles to go with the two he made in the first round on his way to an eight-under-par 68. He was two shots clear of Jon Rahm of Spain, who put together his second consecutive eight-under 64 to be lurking very threateningly.

Bezuidenhout made an early bogey on the second, but three consecutive birdies from the fourth saw him turn in two-under. He made no more drop on his way in, with birdies coming on 11, 14 and 18.

He shared 21^st with, amongst others, Garrick Higgo, who also carded a four-under 68 in his second round. The left-hander made six birdies and two bogeys to continue a good start to tournament play in 2023.

The tournament is played on three courses, the La Quinta Country Club and the Stadium Course and the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West. The cut will be made when all players have played all three courses after the third round. Thompson played on the Nicklaus Tournament Course as did Rahm. Bezuidenhout was in action at La Quinta with Higgo.

Dean Burmester played the Stadium Course, and carded a one-under 71 to go with his opening 65. That saw him drop 27 places to a share of 34^th. Erik van Rooyen had a level-par 72 at La Quinta to be in a share of 46^th on seven-under, while MJ Daffue’s one-under on the Nicklaus Tournament Course saw him in a share of 78^th on five-under.