Shane Lowry has arrived at Cognizant Classic as an odds-on favorite given that he has finished in the top five in the last three years at the event.
He is accurate from a T-shirt, a good ball striker, and has the three attributes needed to succeed at PGA National: the otherworldly short game. But on Friday it was his play around green that helped him raise the leaderboard.
He approached Jake Knapp, who fired Opening 59 on Thursday to control the tournament, chipping a birdie twice in a back-to-back hole to move the leaderboard up. Rory sits at 8 under at a point along the way.
“I'm fine, but yeah, 6 and 7 were really bonuses,” Laurie said.
“Where I'm six, I'm hoping to make a par, make a par for seven days and give myself a chance at 8 or 9, but I'm sure I'll chip in these two holes. [a bonus]. ”
Laurie's first hole It came from 41 yards on the pin. He missed the fairway from the tee and lay in a short grass in front of the green. Later, on the PAR-3 7th, Lowry made a short surface at the left hole in the front. But it wasn't a problem like he did I knocked in that Too much.
A hole later, 414 yards par 4, eighth, Lowry missed a short birdie from within 10 feet.
“I felt it anytime today, whenever I hit a good shot that missed a putt.
In a nutshell, it's golf – the most intense sports that produce the wildest results. I don't know how the round will unfold, but at the end of the day it's not “how?” But “How many?” That's the most important thing. There are no photos on the scorecard.
Laurie eventually signed a 3-under 68, within a standout distance to reach the weekend. There is probably a fourth straight top five available in this event.
Jack Mirco is a golf staff writer who plays SB Nation. Follow him with x @jack_milko.
