Spieth keeps competitors at bay
Jordan Spieth played well enough in the second round of the Travelers Championship to stay in the lead. Rory McIlroy played just well enough to stay in the tournament.
Spieth shot a 1-under 69 on Friday morning, then watched as a windy afternoon kept anyone from overtaking him.
The conditions also kept fourth-ranked Jason Day from making the cut for a second straight week. He bogeyed the 18th for a 70 to finish at 2-over. No. 3 McIlroy shot a 73, also closing with a bogey, but managed to just sneak into the weekend at even par.
Spieth, who began the day one shot ahead after a first-round 63, started on the back nine. The 23-year-old Texan had to recover from a double bogey on the par-5 13th hole after hitting his tee shot left and out-of-bounds. He also had four birdies and a bogey to reach 8-under.
“We’ve been kind of far behind in a lot of the events in making comeback runs,” said Spieth, the two-time major champion who tied for 35th last week in the U.S. Open. “But being able to be toward the front of the pack on a Saturday afternoon is a beautiful position to be in and one that we’ll certainly embrace.”
Patrick Reed (66) and Troy Merritt (68) were tied for second. Both fought off wind gusts that exceeded 50 k/ph to hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens.
“A golf course like this, even when the wind is blowing, if you’re hitting your tee shots straight, you’re going to have some wedges into the greens,” Reed said.
U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka isn’t in Connecticut this week, but former Florida State teammate Chase Seiffert is in contention. The 25-year-old had to qualify Monday to get into the tournament. He made two eagles Friday and finished with a 66 to reach 6-under.
Wesley Bryan (67), Daniel Summerhays (68) and Boo Weekley (68) also were 5-under.
Weyburn, Sask., native Graham DeLaet led briefly during the afternoon, but had a double bogey on 18 for a 70 to drop into the group at 5-under. David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch were tied for 27th.