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Carl Yuan shouldn’t be on the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Nonetheless, this PGA Tour season and golf world generally are in contrast to something earlier than it. So, he’s. And he’s taking benefit.
Yuan completed final season No. 126 within the FedEx Cup standings, which meant he wasn’t presupposed to be fully-exempt on Tour in 2024. He wasn’t going to get in together with his restricted standing to play within the Sony Open in Hawaii or have full standing on the PGA Tour.
Thanks, Jon Rahm.
Yuan shot 5-under 65 on Friday within the second spherical, shifting to 9-under 131 for the event. He’s within the discipline as a result of Rahm moved to LIV Golf and was suspended, which shuffled Yuan up a spot to retain his PGA Tour card.
And in his first event of 2024, Yuan is taking full benefit. He’s tied for the lead heading to the weekend in Hawaii.
Sony Open: Photographs
“Hopefully not,” Yuan stated when requested whether or not he thinks he’ll be often known as the final man in. “Hopefully I’ve my rating and efficiency will form of cowl that half. Yeah, I imply, simply trying ahead to a different yr on Tour. With all the educational expertise from my rookie yr, undoubtedly really feel like I’m extra ready for being out right here.”
He began his day with a birdie on the first after which bogeyed the third. Nonetheless, Yuan made birdie on three of his subsequent 4 holes to show 3 below and added two extra on the house stretch to signal for his 65. At 9 below, Yuan is tied with Austin Eckroat and Byeong Hun An for the lead.
The 26-year-old had two top-10 finishes coming final season, each within the fall on the Sanderson Farms Championship (T-6) and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship (T-4). On the Sanderson, he completed one shot out of a playoff.
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“I had a pair probabilities final yr being the ultimate two teams, have a shot on the weekend,” Yuan stated. “Yeah, I really feel like I simply received to do what I did final two days: be affected person and keep dedicated, know precisely what I’m going to do earlier than I hit a shot and see the way it seems.”
Listed here are 4 extra issues to know from the second spherical of the 2024 Sony Open in Hawaii.
Austin Eckroat of the USA reacts after a shot on the fifth gap throughout the second spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership on January 12, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs)
Austin Eckroat’s twenty fifth birthday was Friday. It’s protected to say his dinner goes to be a great one.
Eckroat birdied his remaining gap, the par-5 ninth, to shoot 4-under 66 and sits at 9 below together with Yuan after 36 holes at Waialae. His spherical received began rapidly, handing over 31. He bogeyed the par-4 second gap after failing to get up-and-down from wanting the inexperienced, however the birdie on the final put him on the high.
“Hit the golf ball very well,” Eckroat stated. “Didn’t get as many putts as I wish to fall, however simple to look again and say that. Actually strong spherical.
“Taking pictures 66 isn’t a nasty birthday.”
Final season, Eckroat co-led after 54 holes on the AT&T Byron Nelson, fired a bogey-free 6-under 65 within the remaining spherical and misplaced by one due to Jason Day’s spectacular 9-under Sunday. He has expertise being within the lead, and the second-year Tour professional will look to make use of that to his benefit this weekend.
That’s, if he can discover his approach to Waialae on Saturday.
“I don’t understand how I’m going to get to the golf course,” he stated. “Yeah, the Waikiki… the regardless of the seashore entrance street is, so going to have to determine find out how to get to the golf course.”
Chris Kirk walks off the 18th gap throughout the second spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii golf event at Waialae Nation Membership. Obligatory Credit score: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports activities
Solely six golfers have ever gained each of the PGA Tour’s stops in Hawaii, The Sentry and the Sony Open. Simply two of these (Justin Thomas and Ernie Els) have gained them in the identical yr.
Chris Kirk is in nice place so as to add his identify to each of these unique golf equipment come the weekend at Waialae. Kirk shot his second straight spherical of 4-under 66 and is at 8 below and in an enormous chasing pack one shot behind the leaders.
Additionally at 8 below and one again of the lead is Stewart Cink, Keith Mitchell and first-round chief Cam Davis, amongst others.
Kirk is 37 below in his first six rounds on Tour to start the yr. He had back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 4-5 however managed to shoot 1-under 34 on the entrance and added circles at 10, 11 and 16 on the again to get inside one of many lead.
Byeong Hun An smiles after making his putt on the 18th gap throughout the second spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii golf event at Waialae Nation Membership. Obligatory Credit score: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports activities
Six straight rounds within the 60s to start your 2024 season? Yeah, that’ll do Byeong Hun An.
The South Korean completed fourth eventually week’s The Sentry, and this week his sturdy play is continuous. An fired a 6-under 64 on Friday, together with a birdie on the ultimate gap to hitch Yuan and Eckroat within the lead going into the weekend.
“Fairly calm and good. 6 below, ended up fairly good,” An stated. “Hit some poor photographs on the market that I wish to hit a bit of higher; I additionally hit some nice photographs on the market. Nice drives. Gave myself good birdie appears to be like. Yeah, flawless. Bogey-free, and I’ll take it.”
The 32-year-old hasn’t gained on the PGA Tour throughout his profession, however he has gained the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship by six photographs again in 2015. His final skilled victory was the Korn Ferry Tour’s Lecom Suncoast Basic in February 2022.
He has been a runner up 4 instances in his Tour profession.
“Performed effectively right here final yr, too. I suppose one thing fits me on this golf course. Perhaps kind of grass or one thing. I’ve been enjoying fairly good right here,” An stated. “Hopefully I can get two extra rounds out of it and hopefully a bit of bit higher within the weekend.”
Ben Griffin of the USA performs his shot from the seventeenth tee throughout the second spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership on January 12, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs)
Ben Griffin had a busy offseason.
Simply in December, he flew 9 instances, together with a visit to the Bahamas to play within the Hero World Problem Professional-Am (he wasn’t within the 20-player discipline) after which on to Turks and Caicos for a while away. He primarily went without cost to the Caribbean island due to his journey factors from his rookie PGA Tour season.
He agreed he most likely ought to’ve stayed put a bit extra to refresh his physique earlier than the season, however there are not any indicators of rust nor put on and tear for Griffin in Hawaii.
He tied the low spherical of the occasion Friday, taking pictures 8-under 62 to maneuver to eight below for the event. He had seven birdies, an eagle and one bogey.
“Hit lots of fairways and made lots of putts,” Griffin stated. “Solely had one form of hiccup. Hit it in a hazard, actually it was virtually the ocean, on 11.
Acquired up and down and made a bogey there. However in any other case, I imply, I had it rolling. Missed a pair putts that you simply want you made, however I made much more different ones that I most likely shouldn’t have.”
He has eagled the par-5 ninth gap each days, a favourite of his at Waialae.
“We’d like extra of these holes out right here,” Griffin joked. “I want there was 18 No. 9s, as a result of I might be like 49 below. That will be cool. I’ve had quick irons into that par-5. It’s a kind of holes in case you hit the green you realize you’re going to have a great probability at an eagle. If not, hopefully a tap-in birdie.
“Had a pair 15-footers. Rolled them just about proper within the center. Hopefully can eagle the following two days, too.”
Kurt Kitayama additionally shot 8-under 62 on Friday, becoming a member of Griffin one shot off the lead.
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