Eight player logjam at the top in Cheonan

Sungjae Im, Haotong Li, Alex Fitzpatrick, Daniel Hillier, Nacho Elvira, Tom Vaillant, Minhyuk Song and Junghwan Lee could not be separated at the top of a logjammed leaderboard at the Genesis Championship.

Im leads the South Korean charge on home soil and he held the outright lead until a bogey at the ninth - his final hole - saw him slip back to six under to join compatriot Song, Englishman Fitzpatrick and France's Vaillant in a four-way tie at the summit.

Spain's Elvira posted a second successive 68 to increase the leadering group to five, New Zealand's Hillier joined soon after thanks to a birdie at the last and another home hopeful Lee produced the round of the day with a brilliant 65.

Li, who started in the afternoon, burst ahead of the pack with two birdies in his opening five holes, but he mixed a total of four gains with four bogeys to become the eighth player in the clubhouse at six under par.

"I think I was playing much better overall today. I feel that today I was very consistent," Im said. "Looking back at my game, I think I was aggressive when I needed to be and I played safe when I needed to.

"When I could create birdie opportunities, I was really going for it. On pin locations where I felt I needed to play safe, I did, and I was able to make par on those holes. My strategy was really good today.

"When we come to Korea we have all these fans who come out and cheer and support us. That really gives you the boost you need. When I come here, I really have a good time."

Im, a two-time PGA TOUR winner and Presidents Cup star, started on the back nine and reached the turn in 31 with birdies at the 12th, 15th, 17th and 18th.

A dropped shot at the fourth blotted his scorecard, however, he surged ahead thanks to birdies at the fifth and seventh before his closing bogey in his 67.

Chinese player Li, who was joint leader after Thursday's play, picked up where he left off with a birdie at the second to jump ahead on his own at seven under.

He led by two when picking up another shot at the fifth, only to drop back to six under courtesy of bogeys at the sixth and seventh.

The 30-year-old responded immediately with a gain at the eighth, only to give that shot back at the tenth. His roller coaster round continued with a birdie at the 12th, but a fourth dropped shot of the day at the 16th saw him remain at six under.

Fitzpatrick and Song both carded four under 67s, Vaillant and Hillier recorded rounds of 69 and Elvira signed for an eagle, three birdies and two dropped shots in his 68.

Lee equalled the lowest round of the week to surge into contention thanks to seven birdies and a solitary bogey.

MK Kim, who shared the lead with Li after round one, is among six players at five under, alongside fellow South Korean Yongjun Bae, Englishman Andy Sullivan, Japan's Yuto Katsuragawa, Italian Andrea Pavan and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat.