SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Erik Barnes finished up his first round on Friday morning with a 63 and carried that momentum into his second round where he posted a 64 to reach 15-under. Barnes led by two when play was suspended due to darkness at 8:27 p.m. on Friday.

“Honestly it was tough because it rained for probably about 20 holes of the 36,” said Barnes, who only got his first eight holes of the tournament in on Thursday before having to play 28 holes on Friday. “But my irons were terrific. I didn’t miss a lot of greens but when I did I got the ball up and down. I made all of the putts I was supposed to make and it was fun.”

Barnes enjoyed nine birdies in his second round – including a stretch of six in seven holes from Nos. 10-16 – but double-bogeyed the par-3 17th to end his round on a sour note. He had reached 17-under prior to the double-bogey.

Barnes entered the week 43rd in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings. He has already locked up his Korn Ferry Tour status for next season by being locked into the top-75 but is looking to leap inside the top-25 in the next four events to earn his first PGA TOUR card.

“I put myself in a good position and I know a good week can vault me into that top-25 permanently,” said the 33-year-old. “I just want to keep doing what I’m doing honestly. If I put balls in the fairways I feel like I can make birdies.”

Barnes, a Marion, Indiana native, is accompanied by a large family contingent, including his parents who are watching him in person for the first time since the pandemic began.

“My wife and two kids and my parents are here which is fun,” said Barnes. “They battled through the elements with us to watch some golf. It’s fun to have them with me. My oldest is in school now so they can’t come a lot in the spring and fall.”

While Barnes holds a two-stroke advantage, Jared Wolfe proved to be the story on Friday with a flawless 10-under 61 to tie the course record and rise to T2.

“I set the alarm just in case we were going to play today but I didn’t think we would with the forecast calling for two inches of rain,” laughed Wolfe, a Murray State alum. “Obviously having two eagles, which, I hadn’t had many in 2021 after I think I may have led the Tour in 2020 with it.”

Perhaps Wolfe was inspired by the region, as he cited being a distant relative to Abraham Lincoln, who famously lived in the Illinois capitol of Springfield.

“So I’ve got some connection to Lincoln’s grandmother,” said Wolfe. “Lincoln’s grandmother’s first marriage before her husband died, I’m from that side of the family, the Sparrow side. Lincoln and I share the same grandmother, which is obviously where I get my good looks from, and my height…So it’s fifth cousin removed, whatever that means.”

Wolfe is tied with Duke University alumni Max Greyserman at 13-under.

The second round will resume at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday with the third round to immediately follow later that morning.