Cameron Tringale in action today – photo Getty Images DP World Tour
Despite being the 54th ranked golfer in the world, 34 year old American Cameron Tringale has yet to win on the PGA Tour but he has opened up that possibility by taking a three shot lead over Gary Woodland and Doug Ghim at the Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick as the event heads into the weekend.
Tringale was 11 shots worse on day two than his brilliant opening 61 but it was enough to retain his opening round three shot lead as the gusty wins buffeting the links layout took their toll on a field which included 14 of the 15 leading ranked world players in the game.
“Well, it was definitely more difficult for me today,” said the leader. “Yesterday, it seemed pretty easy, and today, it seemed like every hole was a grind to make par.
“I can’t speak for everyone but my group struggled. Long putts, it’s so tough to judge how much the wind is going to hurt, and then you get a putt that’s where the wind is going sideways, and I mean, it might be a ball, two, a cup, even as close as seven, eight feet.”
Tringale has been on the PGA Tour since 2010 and has earned more then US$17 million but that first win at this level has proven to be elusive. This week’s Scottish Open is for the first time a full sanctioned event on both the PGA and DP World Tours so it may yet be that this week provides that milestone.
Despite not winning Tringale has been runner-up on four occasions and four times third in PGA Tour events so a breakthrough win would be justice for the Californian.
The round of the day came from Xander Schaufelle whose 5 under 65 jumped him 65 positions to a share of 4th and he is now just four from the lead after beginning round two eleven shot behind Tringale.
New Zealander Ryan Fox was another to benefit from a strong second round, his 2 under 68 moving him from outside the top 100 to 38th and inside the cutline after appearing as if he might have the weekend off.
Also in 38th place is Jason Scrivener while Cameron Smith in 49th place is the only other Australasian to make the cut in 49th place at 3 over and ten shots behind Tringale. Smith struggled to a round of 75 but has a chance over the weekend to sharpen his game for what lies ahead at St Andres next week.
Lucas Herbert missed the final 36 holes by one, Marc Leishman by two, Scott Hend by six, defending champion Min Woo Lee by eight and Maverick Antcliff by a massive 15 shots.
