Matt Wallace moved up the standings with an incredible 6-under 65 in the second round of the Mexico Open. tied for first place Along with Sami Valimaki and Mexico’s Alvaro Oritz.
Wallace didn’t start the year the way he wanted. After a T40, a T52, two missed cuts and a T53 in his last start in Phoenix, Wallace and caddy Jamie Lane decided to find a new approach.
After the round, the British player spoke to the media about his thinking and new mindset.
“We’ve come up with a system of starting over par. You have to put yourself into it to be successful,” Wallace said. “Yesterday I was 4 over, but I managed to go from 1 under to 5 under, and today I am 3 over.It doesn’t feel good to stand on the 10th tee already at 3 over.So I hit bogey and ended up at 4 over. I lost it, so I had to get it back. That kind of determination and focus really helped.”
It’s a unique way of looking at things. He hit shots in the 60s both days of the past two rounds, showing how well it’s working.
He averages 9.8 strokes per game on the field and is tied for first in total strokes gained. The 33-year-old ranks ninth around the green and fifth in both green approaches and putting. His game would have been nearly complete if he hadn’t ranked 88th in stroke game off the tee.
“I was a little disappointed with the driver,” he said. “But my iron play, my short game, my putting is pretty special. Yes, I’m happy with that. I need to sort out my driver because I get holes. I need to sort it out and get better. .”
On Thursday, he shot a 66, which, when combined with Friday’s 65, gives him the lowest 36-hole total on tour at 131. His previous lowest score was 133 points at the 2023 Corales Punta Cana Championship, which he won.
He has 36 holes left for his second PGA Tour win and 11th world title. Will this mental approach be the final piece of the puzzle for him to achieve further success on the Tour?
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.If you want to know more about golf, please follow us. @_PlayingThrough On all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirls and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
