Sepp Straka shot an 8-under 64 on while his top competitors failed to match his sizzling pace at The American Express.

With 10 birdies and one bogey on the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West, Hoffman fired a 9-under 63 to reach 16-under 128 for two rounds. That’s tied for the lead with Rico Hoey, who shot his own 63 on the Nicklaus Course.

Straka’s round at La Quinta in many ways was the reverse of what might have been expected. Playing the back nine first, Straka made six birdies on the way to a 30, the kind of score generally associated with the front nine at the course that opened in 1959.