The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Scheffler, Mcilroy miss cut in playoff opener
J.J. Spaun hopes he’s only getting started on the road to the Fedex Cup finale at Memphis, Tenn. Scottie Scheffler, Rory Mcilroy and Jordan Spieth will have to wait another week.
As for Jason Day, his season is over.
Spaun made a late birdie for a 3-under 67 to take a oneshot lead Friday in the Fedex St. Jude Championship, the opening event in the PGA Tour postseason that no longer has three of its biggest stars for the weekend at the TPC Southwind.
Scheffler, the Masters champion and No. 1 player for the last five months, never quite recovered from what he could only describe as an “out-of-body experience” with his putting in the first round. He had birdie chances on two of the last three holes he couldn’t convert and his 68 was one shot short of making the weekend.
“Obviously, it’s really frustrating coming into the playoffs,” Scheffler said. “I was practicing really hard at home, actually playing really good, and I showed up and had the worst putting day ever. Golf smacks you in the face sometimes.”
Mcilroy went from rough to gallery to fringe to bogey on his last hole for a 69 for only his second missed cut of the year. Spieth’s hopes of playing the weekend ended with a tee shot into the water on the par-3 14th that led to a 74.
At least they get to play next week in the BMW Championship, being high enough in the standings not to lose too much sleep over it.
Day opened with a 65 and was hopeful of a big finish to advance into the top 70 who made it to the next playoff event. Instead, the former world No. 1 dropped five shots over the last eight holes, shot 74 and missed the cut.
Day was among 31 players who started outside the top 70 in the Fedex Cup and missed the cut, meaning their season is over.
World Invitational
Ewen Ferguson of Scotland followed up his big opening round with an evenpar 70 but it kept him in the lead at the ISPS Handa World Invitational at Ballymena, Northern Ireland.
Ferguson carded a courserecord 61 Thursday at Galgorm Castle, one of two courses used for the event that features men’s and women’s tournaments taking place simultaneously.
The 26-year-old Ferguson, in search of his second European
Tour victory, remained on 9 under overall after Friday’s round at Massereene Golf Club. Borja Virto of Spain was one shot back after his 67.
Italy’s Filippo Celli (67), who won the silver medal as leading amateur at the British Open last month, was two strokes off the lead alongside Felix Palson (68) of Sweden.
The tournament is trisanctioned with the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. The men and women play from different tees and compete separately, with equal prize funds of $1.5 million.
Amanda Doherty of the U.S. kept her lead the women’s tournament after her 5-under 67 at Massereene. At 11 under overall, Doherty is one shot ahead of compatriot Lauren Coughlin and Dane Emily Kristine Pedersen.
PGA Tour Champions
K.J. Choi closed birdie-eagle-birdie for a 5-under 67 and a share of the first-round lead in PGA Tour Champions’ Boeing Classic at Snoqualmie, Wash.
Choi, the 52-year-old South Korean player who won last year at Pebble Beach for his lone senior title, was tied with Scott Mccarron, Tim Petrovic, Scott Dunlap and Billy Mayfair.