Hoffman, Hoey charge into lead at PGA’s The American Express

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Fans watch as Justin Thomas hits to the fourth fairway at La Quinta Country Club Course during the first round of the American Express in La Quinta, Calif., on Thursday. WILLIAM LIANG — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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LA QUINTA, Calif. >> Charley Hoffman knows his time on the PGA Tour is running short. He can feel every one of his 48 years whenever his troublesome back acts up, and he knows the recent reduction in tour cards will end most players’ careers well before they reach his age.

Hoffman isn’t done swinging just yet, however.

Back home in Southern California, he battled his way into a share of the lead Friday at The American Express, a tournament he won 18 years ago — and he’s determined to keep fighting until his time runs out.

“When I’m healthy, the weather’s warm, I feel like I can beat anybody in the world,” Hoffman said with a smile. “When it’s cold and my back’s not feeling good, I don’t think I can beat anybody in the world.”

Hoffman and Rico Hoey both shot 9-under 63 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course to share the lead after two rounds in the Coachella Valley desert.

Hoffman and Hoey were at 16-under 128 midway through this three-course tournament, although both Southern California natives have yet to play PGA West’s tougher Pete Day Stadium Course. They were a shot ahead of Justin Lower, Mark Hubbard and Sepp Straka. Jason Day and J.J. Spaun were 14 under.

Hoffman is seeking his fifth victory while playing in the 517th event of his tour career. The San Diego native played his first PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines as a 17-year-old amateur, but didn’t secure his tour card until 2006, several years after graduating from UNLV.

Hoffman won his first PGA Tour title at this event back in 2007, holding held off John Rollins in a playoff on a windy weekend with sub-freezing temperatures. It was a celebrity pro-am known as the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic back then, a West Coast landmark played by Hollywood stars and U.S. presidents.

Hoffman hasn’t won since 2016, but he is feeling good after years of back trouble, most notably two fragmented disks three years ago. .

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Ewen Ferguson, a Scot ranked No. 141, shot 7-under 65 and was the unlikely leader by one stroke after the second round of the prestigious European tour event.

Ferguson jumped into the lead courtesy of a huge slice of fortune late in the day at the par-5 18th hole, where he overhit his second shot but saw the ball rebound off a big advertising board and back onto the green, settling 5 feet from the pin. He holed the eagle putt to move to 12 under.