Tom Kim celebrates his winning putt on the 18th. photo Getty Images
Saturday 24th of September 2022 may yet prove to be one of the more significant moments in the history of the Presidents Cup as the heavily outgunned International team fought their way back from a 8 to 2 deficit to win Saturday’s encounters 5 to 3 and as the event heads into the Singles matches tomorrow there is still life left in an event which threatened to be over before it was over.
Not that an 11-7 deficit is probable, perhaps even possible, for the Internationals to overcome against the powerful American side, but the manner in which they fought back today against all odds keeps this week’s event, and perhaps even the Presidents Cup in general, relevant and provides hope for this week’s contest to retain interest until late on day four.
The comeback began with the sharing of points in the Saturday morning foursomes, Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama defeating Collin Morikawa and Cameron Young and K.H. Lee and Tom Kim overcoming the world number one, Scottie Scheffler, and Sam Burns to build a little momentum into the afternoon.
But it would be the afternoon fourball matches that would genuinely turn the tide of the overall encounter.
Adam Scott and Cam Davis were never ahead in their match against Billy Horschel and Sam Burns until the 17th when Davis, after eagleing the 16th to square the match, then birdied the 17th to move ahead and added another birdie at the last to match that of Burns and the point went to the Australian duo.
“Great day for us, and a great afternoon to win that session,” said Scott. “And then for myself and Cam to win that match down the stretch, you know, it’s those moments why you work hard and see what you’ve got, and I was so impressed with Cam playing those last three holes like that. I’m happy he could carry me in.
“Today was a great day. We were in a deep hole coming here on the bus this morning, and all of the boys dug really deep.
You know, we halved the morning session, and we won in afternoon session, and the momentum, you know, I think over the course of my career in this, there hasn’t been many times I’ve felt momentum going our way. And today, we had the momentum. We certainly have it finishing this evening, and it will be great if we could keep it rolling tomorrow.
Davis was of course delighted to have been part of such an amazing experience with one of his boyhood heroes.
“This is a dream come true to be in this scenario for me,” said the Sydney golfer. “I don’t want Adam to feel old or anything, but he’s been a childhood hero of mine really right from when I started to taking golf seriously.
“To play with him is a dream come true. To play great golf alongside him is even better. I just, you know, can’t imagine — well, it was hard to imagine myself being in these shoes right now, and I’m loving every minute of it, because it’s been absolutely awesome.”
For Scott it was his 48th match in Presidents Cup contests second only to Phil Mickelson in that regard and his experience and mentoring has no doubt played a great part in getting the Internationals back into the contest.
Earlier, Tom Kim, one of the game’s most exciting prospects, had birdied his final hole from 10 feet to win the match-up between he and partner Si Woo Kim and their opponents, the high flying pair of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
Sebastion Munoz and Sungjae Im would also claim a point from the America duo of Kevin Kisner and Tony Finau and so what appeared as if Sunday’s singles would be fait accompli in a near whitewash win to the US side, is now a lot less so.
Tomorrow’s singles begin with Si Woo Kim up against Justin Thomas and Cam Davis taking on Jordan Spieth, daunting tasks at any time, admittedly, but momentum plays a big role in contests such as these and there is little doubt which of the two teams now have that on their side, despite a four-point margin.
If Kim and Davis can build further on the Saturday momentum early on day four then who knows quite where things might end up.
In order for the Internationals to win an improbable victory, they will need 8½ of the 12 remaining points available on Sunday.
Whether they can indeed mount such a challenge remains to be seen but that the Internationals have provided at least a glimmer of hope and interest for Sunday speaks volumes for what has been a dogged fightback against all odds and predictions.
International Captain Trevor Immelman summed up the day but made special mention of the heroics and brilliance on Tom Kim, the third youngest player to have played the Presidents Cup.
“Look, today was a great day for our team. We were in a deep hole. We’ve been fighting our guts out all week, and we’ve just been trying to stay patient to wait for some putts to go in. And, finally, this afternoon, some putts started to fall for us.
“So, you know, I’m really proud of the guys for staying patient, as tough as what it was when you’re playing a team that’s that good and you continuously feel like you’re getting a punch in the guts.
“But when it comes to Tom Kim, you know, this young kid has burst onto the scene in the last six months, and it has been such a tremendous — he’s been such a tremendous gift to our sport.
He has an ability to be a global superstar, this kid. I know he has the game. We’ve seen he has the game. But what I’ve learned about personality and his heart and what he stands for this week, man, I am a huge fan.
“I thought something that was so cool on the final hole today, he’s about 240 yards out. He’s probably 60 yards behind his opponents. He’s over the ball. I look back, I see the who’s who of American golf in golf carts behind him.
“I see Thomas, I see Spieth, I see Finau, I see Homa, I see Morikawa, all of them sitting on carts 15 yards from him. And this kid pures a 2 iron to 10 feet and makes the putt. To me, that’s impressive stuff.
“No matter who you’re rooting for, that made my heart warm right there. So extremely proud of him today. He went out. He did his job. He earned two points. And that is fantastic.”
All matches are worth one point, for a total of 30 points. There are no playoffs, with each side receiving a half point if a match is tied after 18 holes. In a change inspired by the events of the 2003 Presidents Cup, if the match is deadlocked at the end of Singles play, the competition will be deemed a tie and the teams will share the Presidents Cup.
Travis Smyth’s lucrative year continues with Asian Tour victory
Travis Smyth and trophy – photo Asian Tour
Wollongong golfer, Travis Smyth, has today won his first Asian Tour event with a two shot victory over China’s Lee Chieh-po at the Yeangder TPC event at the Linkou Golf and Country Club in Chinese Taipei.
Consecutive weekend rounds of 66 swept the 27 year old to victory in the US$700,000 event and continued a season where he has benefited from the largesse of LIV Golf, having finished runner-up in a qualifying event for that tour earlier in the year in England and then accumulating more than $A 1 million in earnings in the three LIV Golf events he has played to date on that tour.
“Feels amazing!” said an overjoyed Smyth who today picked up a cheque for another US$126,000.
“I got so close, I felt like I let it go in England and to play some LIV events, feel what it’s like there, I just want to get back. I want to be the player that I believe I can be, and winning this week is one step along the journey.”
Smyth had previously won an event and finished runner-up on three occasions in his professional career, the victory coming when winning the Northern Territory PGA Championship on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 2017.
SCORES
Internationals’ dogged fightback offers hope
Tom Kim celebrates his winning putt on the 18th. photo Getty Images
Saturday 24th of September 2022 may yet prove to be one of the more significant moments in the history of the Presidents Cup as the heavily outgunned International team fought their way back from a 8 to 2 deficit to win Saturday’s encounters 5 to 3 and as the event heads into the Singles matches tomorrow there is still life left in an event which threatened to be over before it was over.
Not that an 11-7 deficit is probable, perhaps even possible, for the Internationals to overcome against the powerful American side, but the manner in which they fought back today against all odds keeps this week’s event, and perhaps even the Presidents Cup in general, relevant and provides hope for this week’s contest to retain interest until late on day four.
The comeback began with the sharing of points in the Saturday morning foursomes, Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama defeating Collin Morikawa and Cameron Young and K.H. Lee and Tom Kim overcoming the world number one, Scottie Scheffler, and Sam Burns to build a little momentum into the afternoon.
But it would be the afternoon fourball matches that would genuinely turn the tide of the overall encounter.
Adam Scott and Cam Davis were never ahead in their match against Billy Horschel and Sam Burns until the 17th when Davis, after eagleing the 16th to square the match, then birdied the 17th to move ahead and added another birdie at the last to match that of Burns and the point went to the Australian duo.
“Great day for us, and a great afternoon to win that session,” said Scott. “And then for myself and Cam to win that match down the stretch, you know, it’s those moments why you work hard and see what you’ve got, and I was so impressed with Cam playing those last three holes like that. I’m happy he could carry me in.
“Today was a great day. We were in a deep hole coming here on the bus this morning, and all of the boys dug really deep.
You know, we halved the morning session, and we won in afternoon session, and the momentum, you know, I think over the course of my career in this, there hasn’t been many times I’ve felt momentum going our way. And today, we had the momentum. We certainly have it finishing this evening, and it will be great if we could keep it rolling tomorrow.
Davis was of course delighted to have been part of such an amazing experience with one of his boyhood heroes.
“This is a dream come true to be in this scenario for me,” said the Sydney golfer. “I don’t want Adam to feel old or anything, but he’s been a childhood hero of mine really right from when I started to taking golf seriously.
“To play with him is a dream come true. To play great golf alongside him is even better. I just, you know, can’t imagine — well, it was hard to imagine myself being in these shoes right now, and I’m loving every minute of it, because it’s been absolutely awesome.”
For Scott it was his 48th match in Presidents Cup contests second only to Phil Mickelson in that regard and his experience and mentoring has no doubt played a great part in getting the Internationals back into the contest.
Earlier, Tom Kim, one of the game’s most exciting prospects, had birdied his final hole from 10 feet to win the match-up between he and partner Si Woo Kim and their opponents, the high flying pair of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
Sebastion Munoz and Sungjae Im would also claim a point from the America duo of Kevin Kisner and Tony Finau and so what appeared as if Sunday’s singles would be fait accompli in a near whitewash win to the US side, is now a lot less so.
Tomorrow’s singles begin with Si Woo Kim up against Justin Thomas and Cam Davis taking on Jordan Spieth, daunting tasks at any time, admittedly, but momentum plays a big role in contests such as these and there is little doubt which of the two teams now have that on their side, despite a four-point margin.
If Kim and Davis can build further on the Saturday momentum early on day four then who knows quite where things might end up.
In order for the Internationals to win an improbable victory, they will need 8½ of the 12 remaining points available on Sunday.
Whether they can indeed mount such a challenge remains to be seen but that the Internationals have provided at least a glimmer of hope and interest for Sunday speaks volumes for what has been a dogged fightback against all odds and predictions.
International Captain Trevor Immelman summed up the day but made special mention of the heroics and brilliance on Tom Kim, the third youngest player to have played the Presidents Cup.
“Look, today was a great day for our team. We were in a deep hole. We’ve been fighting our guts out all week, and we’ve just been trying to stay patient to wait for some putts to go in. And, finally, this afternoon, some putts started to fall for us.
“So, you know, I’m really proud of the guys for staying patient, as tough as what it was when you’re playing a team that’s that good and you continuously feel like you’re getting a punch in the guts.
“But when it comes to Tom Kim, you know, this young kid has burst onto the scene in the last six months, and it has been such a tremendous — he’s been such a tremendous gift to our sport.
He has an ability to be a global superstar, this kid. I know he has the game. We’ve seen he has the game. But what I’ve learned about personality and his heart and what he stands for this week, man, I am a huge fan.
“I thought something that was so cool on the final hole today, he’s about 240 yards out. He’s probably 60 yards behind his opponents. He’s over the ball. I look back, I see the who’s who of American golf in golf carts behind him.
“I see Thomas, I see Spieth, I see Finau, I see Homa, I see Morikawa, all of them sitting on carts 15 yards from him. And this kid pures a 2 iron to 10 feet and makes the putt. To me, that’s impressive stuff.
“No matter who you’re rooting for, that made my heart warm right there. So extremely proud of him today. He went out. He did his job. He earned two points. And that is fantastic.”
All matches are worth one point, for a total of 30 points. There are no playoffs, with each side receiving a half point if a match is tied after 18 holes. In a change inspired by the events of the 2003 Presidents Cup, if the match is deadlocked at the end of Singles play, the competition will be deemed a tie and the teams will share the Presidents Cup.
Adam Scott not without hope in Charlotte
Trevor Immelman and Adam Scott – mature heads to assist an inexperienced but talented International team.
Adam Scott will play his 10th Presidents Cup when the event gets underway on Thursday 22nd and while he is the 5th highest world ranked player in the International team, his longevity of success and consistency at the highest level gives him the right to be the playing leader.
Scott’s reasoned and measured thoughts on the game provide a solid base on which his less experienced teammates can rely over four days at the demanding Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.
Scott has now played on more International Presidents Cup teams than any other player and his points record is bettered only by Vijay Singh and Ernie Els.
That record might not necessarily get his team across the line, but the 42-year-old Queenslander, whose first Presidents Cup came in 2003 when the International shared the honours with the US in South Africa, will play a key role in settling the nerves of the 75 % of his team who face the cauldron of an American home game for the first time.
Speculated as a possible convert to LIV Golf earlier this year, Scott has made it clear recently that he is not about to give away twenty years of chasing majors in the hope that LIV Golf recruits will eventually be able to play majors.
Scott has only won one major title but his record at the elite level in the second half of his career has been significantly better than that of the first and it would seem based on comments at the recent BMW PGA Championship in London that he feels there is life in the old dog yet.
Earlier this week Scott was asked about the hurt of his International side losing so many actual and potential team members to LIV Golf.
“I think it does, because I think even though maybe the international team, our struggles have been fairly well-aired over the years or documented, I think everyone becomes very invested at some point in the week.
“As individual competitors, we don’t like losing. I know that’s something we do a lot anyway is playing individual tournaments. But I think it has stung a lot. It’s been frustrating a lot. The close calls really sting. The couple times we’ve really been thumped is very, very frustrating, and I think in saying all that, I’m the only one carrying any real baggage into this one.
“I think Hideki probably has felt a bit of both, as well, in fairness, but I think the beauty of this one for me is that I see a lot of guys out here for the first time, and when I made the team for the first time, it was like, you make the Presidents Cup team, you come out and win points, it’s what you’ve dreamed of, and that’s kind of how it started for me, on a pretty good note.
“That’s what I think these guys can do this week. I certainly am not dwelling on anything and to be perfectly honest, looking back at Melbourne, although that was one that stung for sure, I thought so much changed, the direction of this team changed there, and I think that’s carried over.”
Scott also sung the praises of South African Trevor Immelman, a former Masters Champion and now lead commentator for CBS, who will captain the International side. The pair became good friends during their early professional days when playing in Europe and remain close.
“Trevor has embraced that a lot (the direction created by Ernie Els in Melbourne) and done an incredible job. I think we’re going to see that continue no matter what the result. I still remain incredibly optimistic that we have a shot this week.”
I think we’ve really gotten over that, to be honest, from ’19,” added Scott referring to the come from behind Sunday win of the Americans in Melbourne.
“I think the structures that have been put in place by Ernie and the assistants there and carried over and evolved since with Trevor. I don’t feel like we have those obstacles in trying to massage pairings together and find the secret sauce anymore. I think everything that’s going on behind the scenes is making guys feel very confident to play with each other. I don’t know whether it’s — not that we’re spending more time together, but it sounds almost corny, but creating an identity for this team has given us all the same kind of language, if you want.
“I think knowing Trevor so well, he certainly showed how much work he’s put into this and how much meaning it has to him and how deep he has gone into thinking about what he can give us as an opportunity and experience this week.
“He’s gone further than anyone has gone before, and I think he’s pushed pretty hard for some help from the PGA TOUR to do that, as well, and create an opportunity and an experience for us that we’ll never forget this week, which feels very good.
“I feel very confident in everything that’s happened. From the preparation side, I come in here, all I’ve got to worry about is playing some golf, and that’s the only thing I can do anyway, so that feels like a really nice place as a player to be. I’m really not polluting anyone else’s mind with anything more than that.
“These guys are incredibly talented, and relatively unknown maybe compared to the stars of the United States, but they’ve now been given a platform to show off this week, and I hope they do.”
If the Internationals can find a way to even contend and possibly win against all odds and statistics it will be in no small way due to the efforts of Immelman and Scott whose friendship forged all those years ago is now manifested in guiding their team to a perhaps improbable but still possible win.
According to Adam Scott at least.
Internationals heavily outweighed ahead of Presidents Cup
Cameron Davis and Adam Scott enjoying their practice round together – photo Getty Images
Despite the absence of many of the game’s best players there is a familiar ring to the likely outcome of this week’ 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte in North Carolina.
Once again, the Americans heavily outweigh the Internationals in terms of field strength with only one of that team (Kevin Kisner) outside the top 20 in the world ranking while for the Internationals they can boast only two inside category, namely Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im.
Not that such a scenario is foreign to the Internationals. That has always been the case, and in what was a very similar mathematical pre-event equation at Royal Melbourne in 2019, the Internationals actually led into the Sunday singles by 10 to 8 before being overrun by the Americans on Sunday by 8 to 4 and losing 16 to 14.
There was real hope leading into the final round at Royal Melbourne that the Internationals could pull of their second ever win in the event on a golf course they had won on previously, but it was not to be as the Tiger Woods led team’s superiority in world ranking strength came to the fore.
The closest the International have come in other encounters in addition to their win in 1998 at Royal Melbourne was in 2019 and in 2003 when the teams shared the honours in South Africa after darkness forced a playoff between Tiger Woods and Ernie Els to be halted.
The emergence of LIV Golf has had a significant impact on both sides with as many as six or seven players who might otherwise have been included in the Internationals now excluded due to their association with LIV.
Cameron Smith, Joacquin Niemann, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Anirban Lahiri, Abraham Ancer and possibly Marc Leishman were likely considerations or automatic inclusions in the Internationals but they much now watch from afar as their former teammates look to produce the near impossible.
Dustin Johnson, Bryson De Chambeau, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed might also have been included on the US team in a different time, but the respective teams will have to duke it out with what they have.
Golf does work in funny ways but it is hard to see the Internationals getting close to the powerful Americans although both teams perhaps have significant points to prove given the new dynamic in world golf and that motivation alone will carry them a long way.
TEAMS
Cameron Smith proves a point in Chicago
Cameron Smith holes the winning putt to win by three – photo LIV Golf Getty Images
Cameron Smith, in just his second appearance in the LIV Golf series, has defeated has defeated Peter Uilhein and Dustin Johnson by three shots to earn the US$4 million winner’s cheque at the event at Rich Harvest Farms outside of Chicago and, in addition, has helped his team of Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Wade Ormsby and himself into a share of 3rd place.
Smith took a two shot lead over Johnson into the final round and although self admittedly not at his best, his round of 69 which included birdies at his last two holes saw him retain and extend his 36 hole lead.
Smith has now won just over US$5 million in individual earnings in the two events he has played plus a little extra for he and his team.
“I think it was quite frustrating at the start of the day,” said Smith of his early play in round tree. “My warmup wasn’t fantastic. I didn’t feel like I was striking the ball as well as I had the first couple of days.
“I just kind of stuck in there. There was a couple of really poor shots off the tee that led to a couple of really soft bogeys on quite easy holes, especially that start where you want to get off to a pretty hot start.
Yeah, so it was frustrating, but just stuck in there good.”
Smith suggested he felt he had a point to prove with the switch of tours. “I think probably that first event was the most pressure I’ve been under all year inside of an event.
“I feel as though I needed to prove to myself and probably more so to other people that just because I’ve changed tours doesn’t mean I’m a worse player for it. I’m still out here to win. That’s what we’re all here for. Hopefully we can keep this going.
Smith was also asked about the feel of wining an event such as this week’s compared to those in which he has played to date where established histories are involved.
“I think for sure there is a history aspect that is for certain missing, but it doesn’t mean that the tournament is a bad tournament because of it.
“There’s 48 of the best guys out here trying to compete and trying to win. In 10, 20 years’ time, these could be the biggest events in the world. We’re just not there yet.”
SCORES
Hannah Green finishes 3rd in Portland
Hannah Green – photo Steve Sykes LPGA / Getty Images
Hannah Green has recorded her second best finish of 2022 and her fourth top five of the season with a 3rd place finish at the AmazingCre Portland Classic in Oregon.
Green was chasing her second victory in this event having won in 2019 and she put up a fine attempt to do so, falling just one short of the playoff between Andrea Lee and Daniela Darquea, Lee going on to win her first LPGA Tour title.
Green stormed home with a back nine of 32 to all but catch the leaders but that one birdie over the final three holes proved elusive.
Green improves three places to 16th in the Race to the Globe standings in a season during which she has made the cut in all eighteen events in which she has competed.
Of the other Australians, Sarah Kemp was 36th and Karis Davidson 47th.
SCORES
Lucas Hebert records best finish of 2022 in Italy
Lucas Herbert – file photo
Victorian, Lucas Hebert, has finished in a share of 5th place at the Italian Open in Rome, his final round of 68 securing him his best finish of the year on either the European or PGA Tour and a cheque for €116,000.
Herbert finished three shots from the playoff between Robert McIntyre and Matthew Fitzpatrick, McIntyre winning his second European Tour title with a birdie at the first extra hole.
McIntyre’s final round of 64 included a stunning outward nine of 6 under 29, catching and then defeating the US Open Champion Fitzpatrick who was forced to chase and catch McIntyre with a homeward nine of 32 himself.
For Herbert, though, his solid finish moves him 24 places in the Race to Dubai standings to 45th which given he has played for so much of the year in the US is yet another impressive European Tour performance.
It also leaves Herbert well positioned to play the season ending event, the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in November in which the leading 50 players compete.
Maverick Antcliff and Jason Srivener tied for 55th and were the only other Australians to make the weekend.
SCORES
Adam Bland’s big improvement at ANA Open
Adam Bland – file photo
South Australian Adam Bland recorded his best Japan Golf Tour finish in five years when he tied for 8th at the ANA Open in Hokkaido this week.
The 40 year old, 16 year professional’s previous best result in Japan was when 7th at the 2017 Japan Open but he does own one victory in Japan, that coming when winning the Japan Professional Golf Championship in 2015.
The left-handed Bland, produced a final round of 66 including birdies at the last three holes of the Sapporo Golf Club’s Wattsu course to finish in a share of 8th and five shots from the winner, Tomohara Otsuki.
“It was a good round today,” said Bland, who managed seven birdies to offset a bogey.
“I didn’t change anything and just stick to my game plan. I was able to hit it a little closer and holed a couple of putts.
“Hopefully I can play even better next week (Panasonic Open), I’m looking forward to it.”
Matthew Griffin was 17th, Anthony Quayle 28th and Andrew Evans 46th.
Quayle still leads the Australians on the 2022 money list, the Queenslander in 10th place.
SCORES
Cameron Smith leads Dustin Johnson by two in Chicago
Cameron Smith during today’s second round – photo LIV Golf / Getty Images
Playing in just his second LIV Golf event after joining the tour in Boston two weeks ago, Cameron Smith has taken a two shot lead over Dustin Johnson heading into tomorrow’s third and final round of the US$25 million 5th event of the LIV Golf series.
A round of 68 today to go with his opening 66 allowed Smith to catch and then pass Johnson who could do no better then 73 to be two back.
Smith was asked how he has been able to bring the form shown on the PGA Tour so immediately to the LIV Tour and had this to say; “Just keeping everything the same, to be honest. Still doing the work at home and trying to come out here and win golf tournaments. My mentality hasn’t changed one bit. I think that’s why I’ve played so well the last couple weeks.
“I think the music out on the golf course and on the range is something that I really enjoy. I think everyone out there really enjoys it, as well.
“I feel like the fans are closer to you and they’re probably a little bit louder on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, but yeah, I love it, mate. The atmosphere is perfect?
“It’s really cool. It’s something that I’ve got used to over the last couple of weeks, and I can’t wait to keep this going. It’s unreal out here. I love the energy. Like I said last week, I think the course has a heartbeat. Everyone is really engaged and everyone is really watching what you’re doing. Yeah, it’s awesome.”
Smith heads his team The Punches who trail the 4 Aces by just one shot with a team purse of US$3 million available to the winner of that event. The Punches team is Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Wade Ormsby.
Matt Jones is tied for 9th in the individual and six shots from Smith’s lead.
SCORES
Harrison Endycott makes immediate statement on PGA Tour
Harrison Endycott – file photo NSW Golf
In his debut as a cardholder on the PGA Tour, Sydney’s Harrison Endycott is just three shots from the lead at the Fortinet Championship in Napa in California, a third round of 65 moving him 51 places from the cutline to contention in the US$8 million event.
Endycott earned the right to play the PGA Tour via the Korn Ferry Tour this season and irrespective of how tomorrow works out for the 26 year old, making the cut and contending in your first appearance on the big stage will be very encouraging for him.
“I mean, look, it’s still very new, you know,” said Endycott referring to the difference between playing the Korn Ferry or South American Tours as he has earlier in his career to now on the PGA Tour. You’ve got a little more atmosphere, more people, bigger grandstands, TV everywhere.
“Look, it’s funny, like I feel very, very comfortable out there when I’m within my own element, but when you do kind of smell the roses in between shots, you’re kind of like this is a different atmosphere. It might take a little time to get used to, but right now I’m enjoying it.”
“I played really nice out there today. Definitely helps when you’ve got a driver in the bag after yesterday’s shenanigans with the cracked driver face. This golf course is tough hitting 3-wood everywhere. So it was nice to get freed up, played some good golf today.
“Got the putter rolling. Had a bogey-free round on Thursday, didn’t make a birdie, so two bogey-free rounds, you know, means that I’m doing a lot of good things and just got to stay patient. And obviously first group in, there’s still a lot of golf, the rest of the guys out there, so hopefully we stay in contention and go get after it tomorrow.”
Monday qualifier, Aaron Baddeley, and Cameron Percy also made the cut but are well back.
SCORES