Nightmare start for Rickie and he's dropped to -8, Clark has come out looking like a winner and is -11. Rory doing well, Scottie just not making it happen so far.
It's a 2 man race now, Clark and Rory. Clark has played very well, has a couple of holes where he was in real trouble but his short game and putting pulled him through. They said he's nearly 100% on putts inside 10 feet. Rory has been hitting some great shots, but unlike Clark he's not getting putts to drop. Both Rickie and Scottie have missed a number of very makable putts that Clark has been making.
Longest putt Rory has made is 4.5 feet. That's the story here. On 14 both he and Scottie missed putts inside 10 feet, burned the edges but no cigar. While Clark is nearly 100% inside 10 feet.
Clark it is, Rory was better tee to green, but Clark out putted and chipped him. Clark deserved to win when he made a mistake he recovered really well and as I said he made his putts.
I was expecting nail-biting drama yesterday and all I saw was a pillow fight. I'm somewhat miffed at the golf channel. I was all set to watch yesterday rooting for Rickie and Rory. But yesterday morning, I'm watching the golf channel and they do a report on Clark telling the sad story of his mom dying when he was in college. Now I say to myself, how am I going to root against this guy who lost his mother to cancer when he was a young college player? Looking back at yesterday I can't think of one exciting hole-out, one long snake, one incredible bunker shot....nothing just 5 hrs of mediocre golf.
Like Gip said no real dramatic moments but the two chip shots Clark made to save par late on the back were money shots in the face of withering pressure for anybody, much less a first timer. It's like Raftery says, "Onions!"
Good day at the Travelers. Weather was perfect and a lot of scoring. Keegan Bradley went out early and set the pace with a 62. Denny McCarthy in the afternoon wave is at -9 with 2 holes to play, a shot at 59. would have to birdie last 2 so I'm not counting on it. Rory had a so so front 9 then got his 1st hole in one on #8 and get on a bit of a run and finished -2 but it could have been much better as usual he gets himself into places where he needs to make a putt under 10 feet and can't do it. Denny McCarthy was making everything. Scottie as per usual is right there. Adam Scott is having a good first round, until he got to #17 and hit his 2nd shot over water, into the water. Still is well positioned.
Well he had a chance, par on 17 but his 2nd shot on 18 front the fairway rolled right over the edge of the hole, looked like it was going to go in for an eagle and that 59. 60 isn't bad though
Both Keegan Bradley and Denny McCarthy had great days and are tied a -15, lots of low scores though today, even though Rory shot -6 today he didn't make much progress up leaderboard and sits at -8 and it 7 shots back. Adam Scott is at -10. The ladies at Baltusrol have been dealing with weather and it's pretty tight with 4 players at -4 with a lot of players at E or better. So wide open going into the weekend. Something is wrong with Lexi Thompson, she just looks lost out there and is at +5 and right on the cut line.
Keegan Bradley continues his hot play, but Rickie Fowler had a 60 today and while he's still quite a way back of the leaders it was a great roiund by him and he's in the hunt.
A couple of years ago you couldn't find Bradley or Fowler on any leader board. It just goes to show what a fine line most pros walk between contending and descending. Some like Ian Baker Finch lose it and never get it back.
Keegan Bradley has taken charge and is 6 shots up with 6 to play, hard to imagine him losing this. Rory had a great day was -6 but just too far back, same for Rickie played well but just couldn't keep up with a dude shooting 6 under. Good to see JT have a good tourney he's been in a bit of a funk lately.
Keegan made it interesting with his tee ball into the Lake, but held on to get the win. Scottie Scheffler, again doesn't win but finished tied for 4th with Patrick Cantlay, he's pretty much a lock for the top 10 right now of any tourney he enters. He does need to win somewhere along the line though!
Tour is in Air Quality challenged Detroit this week. It's not a designated event so the purse is only 8.8M,as opposed to 20M for designated events. So the field is weaker, still should be fun. Rickie, JT, Morikawa, Homa, and Keegan Bradley are the best known players. Peter Kuest young Monday qualifier out of BYU where he was the c#1 college player as a Senior is the leader in the clubhouse right now.
Organizers of the Travelers weren't thrilled with the record low scoring last weekend and have promised changes to remedy that next year.
JT not off to a good start though, watched him miss a short putt just like I do, he's +3. Matsuyama is also at +3 Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt Jr., is the only Amateur in the field, not sure how he got in but he made the turn at - 3
I forgot that Tony Finau, defending champion, is also in the Field. He shot even today, 8 shots back. JT can't buy a putt today. On 18 he was long and made a bogey 5 to finish +4. The mystifying stat was that he hit 13 fairways. You'd figure he'd be a lot under par.