Hopes were high for several big-name players to dig themselves out of substantial holes they created on Thursday, but unfortunately, many of them failed to rally and are heading home on Friday evening.
Here’s everything you missed from the Round 2 action at TPC Sawgrass.
Hello, Rory! Cue multiple fire emojis! After fading from contention at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, Rory McIlory came charging back with an impressive performance in Round 2 at TPC Sawgrass on Friday.
With an 11-hole charge that included five birdies and an eagle, McIlory claimed a share of the 36-hole lead with Tommy Fleetwood at 12 under par overall. Check out the sweet putt he holed for bird on No. 17:
What a hole to tie the lead @THEPLAYERSChamp!@McIlroyRory has birdied the 17th @TPCSawgrass.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/Fmi9tLPrxG
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 15, 2019
After tying Keegan Bradley with an impressive opening-round 65 on Thursday, Fleetwood rode his positive momentum to a follow-up 67.
His round included five birdies, two bogeys and an eagle from a greenside bunker (highlight below), and he and McIlory hold a three-shot lead over their closest competitors, who are locked in a four-way tie for third.
Eagles are flying for @TommyFleetwood1! ?
He just took the solo lead @THEPLAYERSChamp. #LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/RGHWGh2wez
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 15, 2019
With yet another amazing display of his ability to go low, 48-year-old Jim Furyk shot the round of the day on Friday, a sizzling 64 — that’s eight under par, and a perfect scorecard: eight birdies, no bogeys.
One off the course record for @JimFuryk!
He posts the round of the day @THEPLAYERSChamp.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/ge0PAFMnet
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 15, 2019
Though he’s making enough birdies to contend this week, Woods’s two rounds have been unfortunately derailed by too many bogeys. And in the case of Friday’s round, it was a quadruple bogey — on the 17th hole, no less! — that nearly prevented him from making the cut.
Golf is hard.
Tiger Woods puts two in the water on No. 17. ? pic.twitter.com/xEqCMx04Z0
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 15, 2019
Woods was five under par on the day when he reached the 17th tee, and those water balls eliminated all his hard work. Luckily, he’ll still be around for the weekend, and at three under par overall, he’s currently nine shots off of McIlroy and Fleetwood’s lead.
Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson were among the handful of A-Listers that failed to make the cut at TPC Sawgrass this year.
Spieth shot 76-69 to miss the cut by two shots, while Mickelson shot 74-74 to miss by six.
The good news? Spieth did manage to make seven birdies (and also four bogeys), and is feeling better about his putting (see below). So he’s got that going for him!
“Putting’s back. It’s very close to being top of the world again.”
Jordan Spieth is optimistic, though he’ll likely miss the cut @THEPLAYERSChamp.
SG: Putting ranks:
Round 1? 105th.
Round 2? 1st.https://t.co/WBTtnd4Xlv— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 15, 2019
