Talk of the tournament
Little-known English has 2-shot lead after 2 rounds
Harris English understands pressure.
As a member of a nationally regarded University of Georgia golf team several years ago, it was a battle to earn one of five playing spots for college tournaments. The competition was intense between teammates, several of whom have joined him on the PGA Tour.
So when English made his run early Friday to put some distance between himself and a crowded leader board at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, he never looked back, not even at a group of challengers that, at various times, included two-time FESJC champion David Toms, veteran Davis Love III, defending champion Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter. English simply kept his foot on TPC Southwind’s pedal, causing many in the gallery to wonder who the relative unknown was atop the board.
“That’s fine,” English said. “I know I’m not well-known right now. I really don’t want to be well-known.”
His anonymity, however, could be fleeting if he keeps playing as he has through the PGA Tour event’s first 36 holes. Entering Saturday’s third round, English, 23, will carry a two-stroke lead over yet another unheralded golfer, rookie Shawn Stefani, after firing the day’s best round, a 6-under 64. In third place, extending the mystery theme, is Paul Haley II.
In a field that includes Phil Mickelson (41 career victories) and Davis Love III (20 career victories), English, Stefani and Haley will be looking for their first PGA Tour win. English has no career top-three finishes in 43 events, while Stefani is appearing in his 17th tournament (one career top10 finish) and Haley in his 12th.
English, among six tied for the lead at 4-under 66 after the opening round, is at 10-under 130,
Stefani is at 132 and Haley and Scott Stallings, a twotime winner on the Tour, are at 135. Stefani, 31, made his move with a 5-under 65. As for some of the marquee names in the field, Love shot 70 and is at 136; Mickelson shot 67 for 138; Padraig Harrington 70 for 139; and Brandt Snedeker missed the cut at 143, victimized by a double bogey on his final hole.
As for English, he wasted little time taking command with birdies on his first three holes and an eagle-2 on the par-4 fifth hole, which he made by holing out from 181 yards with an 8-iron.
“When I get into those modes, where everything is pretty much going my way and I’m very much in control of my ball, I’m really trying to birdie every hole,” English said. “I know this golf course is hard, but the way I was hitting it off the tee (and) putting myself in position on the fairways with a lot of short irons into the holes, I was really trying to go for it.”
On the back nine, he built a six-stroke lead with consecutive birdies at Nos. 15 and 16. He dropped in a 15-footer on 15 and a 10-footer on 16. If not for his lone bogey at No. 18, his lead would have been greater.
On 18, he hit what he called his “only bad shot of the day,” a drive that landed by a drain and left a difficult lie. He was forced to pitch out.
“If he’s in the fairways — he’s such a long hitter and a great iron player — his game is really improving, he’s playing well,” Love said. “He’s not afraid to shoot a low score. We’ve seen that out of him when he gets it going.”
In only his second year on tour, English is gradually making a name for himself. He has three top-10 finishes this season and, with this week’s performance, is making his eighth cut in the past 10 tournaments.
Playing for a nationally ranked Georgia program coached by Chris Haack, English said he was conditioned for the rigors of the tour by having to compete against teammates like Russell Henley, who won his first PGA Tour event this season, and Brian Harman, who was in the FESJC field.
“It was hard enough just to (qualify) for tournaments on that team,” English said. “In our qualifying rounds, we fought more than in our golf tournaments. We were playing against five All-Americans. It was awesome to be part of a program like that.”
When asked about English’s perch atop the leader board, Poulter, seven shots back at 137 and winner of 12 European and two PGA Tour events, quickly responded: “They don’t give trophies away on Fridays. I’m not interested in how far in front somebody is. Obviously, he’s played very nicely. I’m not taking anything away, but tournaments aren’t over until Sunday.”