J.B. Holmes bludgeons Oakland Hills with driver

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- On an Oakland Hills course infamous for its gnarly rough, the clubhouse leader J.B. Holmes bucked convention by swinging for the fences. Bombing his driver "exactly where I was looking" every time he swung it, Holmes made five birdies and shot a second-round 68 to get to one under overall.

"I hit a couple out there that might've got close to 400 [yards]," said Holmes, who is averaging 337.5 yards off the tee on measured drives this week, first in the field.

He left himself only 65-70 yards to the green on the 435-yard first hole, then reached the par-5 second with a driver ("that was close to 400, probably") and a wedge to 12 feet from the pin. His eagle putt grazed the edge of the hole but wouldn't fall.

Holmes drove the green on the 300-yard, par-4 6th hole and two-putted for birdie, and was left with only an 8-iron to reach the 593-yard, par-5 12th hole in two. He missed the green, but got up and down for birdie. He estimated after the round that he hit driver on 10 of 14 possible holes.

"I played great," he said. "I hit the ball well. I left a few putts out there, but overall it was a very good ball-striking round, is probably the best way to describe it."