The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thomas starts out fast, holds on to 1- shot lead
THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF. — Justin Thomas went from a fast finish one day to a fast start the next, and it carried him to a 7- under 65 on Fridayandaoneshot leadinthe Zozo Championship at Sherwood Country Club.
Thomaswasn’t particularly thrilled, except for his position, mainly because the final stretch of holeswas still fresh on his mind and he closed with six consecutive pars on a day when the field made birdie or better just over 33% of the time.
RichyWerenski led theway with 12 birdies for a 61, the lowest score in a tour- sanctioned competition at Sherwood. The average scorewas 67.87.
Tiger Woods managed to beat that, making eight birdies in his round of 66, and he still didn’t pick up any shots against the lead. The defending champion at the ZozoChampionship— hewon last year in Japan — was still 12 shots behind.
“Got off to a much better start and kept rolling,” Woods said.
ThomasfinishedlateThursday afternoon with a 29 on the back nine for a 65. He began the second round on the back nine andranofffour straight birdies, chipping in on the par- 3 12th, and played it in 31.
But after two birdies in three holes to start the front nine — he hit into the water on the par- 5 second hole and still managed to escape with par — he didn’t convert any birdie chances.
Thomas was at 14- under 130, one stroke clear of Lanto Griffin and Dylan Frittelli, who each had a 65 andmade bogeys on the final hole.
Griffin tied Thomas with a 5- foot birdie on the seventh hole and then a 5- iron that didn’t turn out the way he had envisioned — he aimed 25 feet left and hit it right at the flag, 15 feet behind it.
“Pushed it right at the flag and it lands a foot from the hole,” Griffin said. “Then Rickie( Fowler) hitrightwhere I was trying to hit it and his caddie said, ‘ Good shot.’ And I said, ‘ Yeah, that’s where I was trying to hit it.’”
Patrick Cantlay found his putting touch and shot 65. He was two shots behind, along with Scottie Scheffler, who also had a 65.
Low scores were everywhereonacoursethatisshort by PGA Tour standards and has five par- 5s that are reachable in two, even without hitting driver off the tee. There hasbeenlittlewindandpleasant weather. And different from the days of theWoods’ holiday event in December, a 78- man field makes it likely more players are going low, especiallywhentheyseewhat everyone else is doing.
Woods couldn’t be much worse from Thursday, especiallyonthe par- 5s. He played them in 3- over in the opening round of 76, his highest score in his 13th year playing Sherwood. He played them in 4- under on Friday.
PhilMickelsonplayedthem in 3- over Friday, but it was really just a couple of par- 5s that ate him up.
He sent his tee shot off the property to the left on the 11th hole and made bogey. And on the 13th, he sent two shots intowhatamounts to a jungle left of the fairway and made a quadruple- bogey 9. He shot 74 and was near the bottomof the pack, oneweek after winning for the second straight time on the 50- andolder PGA Tour Champions.