The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Fairfield’s J.J. Henry sees homecoming grind to halt
CROMWELL — It will stand as a memorable week for JJ. Henry, one which he repeatedly called “coming full circle” with son Connor caddying for his dad in two separate pro-ams at the Travelers Championship.
“It puts things in perspective. I’ve been fortunate to play out here for 19 straight years,” Henry said.
There will be a 20th straight, of course, for the Fairfield native. The question is, what will his status be?
Henry has been down this road before, battling to make the FedExCup playoffs. Golfers need to be in the top 125 and Henry stands at 193 with a little over a month left in the condensed PGA Tour season.
Henry shot a 2-over-par 142 for two rounds and missed his 11th cut of the season.
“I don’t have a whole lot of confidence right now with the short stick,” Henry said Friday afternoon. “Whether I try a different method, or try a different putter or go see somebody, it (will be) probably a combination of everything to be honest with you. But tee to green, I hit it plenty good enough to compete week in and week out.”
Henry missed the playoffs last year, then also fell short of the top 25 in the four-event Web.Com Tour finals, which would have returned his exempt status on the PGA Tour.
He is playing this season on tour under the 300 career made cuts rule, a firsttime exemption. It’s also a one-time exemption.
If this season ends in the same fashion, Henry would use his past champions status — he has won three tour events, including they 2006 Buick Championship in Cromwell — to get into events, or apply for sponsor’s exemptions.
There are only six more events before the FedExCup playoffs begin in August.
“At 44, I still like to think I can still play out here and that’s kind of the goal to continue to work hard,” Henry said. “You are one big week away from making your whole year. I feel like I’m close.”
Henry said he would spend the weekend with his parents in Fairfield before heading out to Detroit for the inaugural Rocket Mortgage Classic.
NIGHT AND DAY: Jason Day shot even-par 70 Thursday afternoon but felt his round was a lot better than that number.
Friday morning, the number followed. Birdies on five of his first seven holes sparked him to a 7-under 63.
“It wasn’t too different from what I did yesterday,” Day said. “I just unfortunately didn’t birdie 14 and 15 yesterday and I doubled 16, so obviously that was just a little bit frustrating.”
Through off-and-on rain, adjusting to the speed of the wet greens, Day made more putts than he did Thursday, a product of work on the putting green Thursday night. He had seven birdies and no bogeys on Friday.
“(The rain) was a bit frustrating, don’t get me wrong,” Day said. “It just kept coming in waves. It would stop for a little bit and start raining again. To be honest, we’re going to have some good weather over the weekend, so I’m pleased about that. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the sun.”
BUBBA STICKING AROUND: After two of the tournament’s biggest names failed to make the cut, three-time champion Bubba Watson made his move. Watson shot 66 Friday, leaving him 5-under and in a tie for 26th through two rounds.
Watson began the back nine with five straight birdies, but bogeys on the par-4 17th and 18th holes cost the lefty an even better score heading into the weekend.
He shot -17 under to win last year’s tournament, three strokes ahead of Stewart Cink and three others. He’s aiming for at least -15 under this weekend, and then will see where that takes him.
“Knowing that we can make birdies in a hurry around here, you know that you have a shot,” he said. “I think tomorrow the wind’s supposed to pick up in the afternoon, so come out and do the same thing. Shoot about a 5-under, 5-under for the weekend, gosh … we have a chance at 15-under. So, that’s what we’re looking at.”
PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka bounced back from an opening-round 71 to sit 3-under for the tournament. Meanwhile, both Phil Mickelson (3-over) and Jordan Spieth (2-over) failed to make the cut.