Watson overcomes snapped driver
Bubba makes a birdie on the hole, trails Day by one after two rounds
We pause now to fondly remember Bubba Watson’s neon pink driver, which broke apart mid-swing on the second tee in the Travelers Championship on Friday.
And, if the three-time Travelers winner is going to have luck like this over the weekend, please spare a thought for the rest of the field at TPC River Highlands, too.
Watson recovered after snapping his driver to make birdie at No. 2 on his way to a second straight 66 that left him at 8 under, one stroke behind 36hole leader Jason Day.
“It was a perfect tee shot right down the middle. Chipped it in there and made the putt for birdie,” Watson said wryly. “Hohum.”
Day shot 62 for the day’s low score and a chance at his first top-three finish in more than three years. The former world No. 1 missed three straight cuts before he tied for 44th at the PGA Championship, then withdrew from the Memorial with a back injury and did not qualify for the U.S. Open.
Day seemed to fidget with his back on the course Friday, but still had eight birdies in a bogeyfree round.
“Sometimes when you do have sort of an injury or stiffness, even if you’re sick, sometimes you can come out and play some good golf,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to not really get in my own way today.”
First-round co-leader Kramer Hickok was at 10 under before flying the green on the par-3 16th hole and then three-putting from 18 feet for a double bogey; he finished with a 69 to tie Watson for second.
Justin Rose and Kevin Kisner each shot 63 and were among seven players tied for fourth at minus-7. Satoshi Kodaira, who was 7 under after the first round, shot a 2-over 72 in the second.
LPGA: Nelly Korda realized there were low scores available at Atlanta Athletic Club. For the longest time, she couldn’t find them in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. And then the birdies came in bushels, one after another, six straight to close her second round that put her in the record book with a 9under 63 and gave her a one-shot lead over Lizette Salas.
Champions: Steve Stricker increased his lead to five strokes in the Senior Players Championship, following an opening 7-under 63 with a 68 at breezy Firestone.
European PGA: Irish golfer Niall Kearney took a two-shot lead after the second round of the BMW International Open. Kearney shot a 4-under-par 68 to finish the day at 11 under.