Holmes, Stanley share lead at The Players
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA.— The only bogey J.B. Holmes made Saturday could have been a lot worse, and he pieced together a 2-under 70 in strong wind on a punishing course to share the lead with Kyle Stanley going into the final round of The Players Championship.
Holmes hit his tee shot so far to the right on the 14th hole that it went into the water on the12th hole. He hit a blind shot from 230 yards into the wind to a bunker and managed to get up-and-down to limit the damage, which is what Saturday at the TPC Sawgrass was all about.
“I usually can make a bunch of birdies, so if I can just narrow it down to one bogey, then I’m usually in good shape,” Holmes said.
Stanley got his trouble out of the way early with three bogeys in four holes, and then was bogey-free the rest of the way.
He saved par from the back bunker on the 18th hole on the Players Stadium Course for a 72.
“You just kind of have to remind yourself that even though you’re a little bit over par, on the leaderboard I was still in a pretty good spot,” Stanley said.
They were at 9-under 207, one shot clear of Louis Oosthuizen (73).
The TPC Sawgrass has trouble at every turn even in calm conditions. Throw in a relentless wind that the final half of the field faced all afternoon, and it was as much about staying in neutral without losing ground — or crashing. And there was plenty of that. Canadian David Hearn, in contention after opening with rounds of 70 and 69, ballooned to 80 on Saturday. Tour rookie Mackenzie Hughes, who shared the lead after the first round before fading on Friday, was the top Canadian at even-par 216 after a round of 74, nine shots off the pace.
Jon Rahm of Spain, the best newcomer on the PGA Tour, was five shots behind when he started and missed the 54-hole cut with an 82. Matt Kuchar took a 9 on the14th hole and shot 81, his highest score ever on this course. Phil Mickelson shot a 78.
Of the 82 players in the field, 49 made a double bogey or worse.
That what’s made Ian Poulter’s round remarkable in so many ways. Two weeks ago, Poulter wasn’t even in the field and no longer had full status until the PGA Tour realized it made a clerical error related to his return from a foot injury. The Ryder Cup stalwart made the most of the opportunity with the only bogeyfree round of the day, and even though he had just one birdie, that 71 was enough to give him a serious chance.
“I’ve definitely been freer this week playing golf than I have in the last month, and I think it shows on the course,” Poulter said.