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LA QUINTA, Calif. — The letters shaved into Sam Burns’ hair present R-T-R for Roll Tide Roll. It’s a part of a misplaced soccer wager after fellow PGA Tour member Justin Thomas’ Alabama Crimson Tide beat Burns’ LSU Tigers.
Burns might have discovered some inspiration within the misplaced wager, at the very least the roll half. The 27-year-old was on a significant roll Friday on the American Categorical, firing a career-low 11-under 61 that flirted with the legendary variety of 59 earlier than pars on his remaining two holes.
“Based mostly off the scores, clearly all people’s taking pictures some good numbers, so I feel simply making an attempt to maintain tempo and making an attempt to hit as many high quality pictures and get as many seems as doable,” stated Burns, whose 36-hole complete of 17-under 127 was good just for a one-shot lead over Michael Kim on one other calm and heat day.
The opposite story of the day was 20-year-old newbie Nick Dunlap, the present U.S. Beginner champion and a sophomore on the College of Alabama. With a 65 on the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West, Dunlap moved right into a tie for third at 15 below with Okay.H. Lee, who shot 64 on the Nicklaus Event Course.
American Categorical: Saturday tee occasions | Images
“I’ve all the time stated strain’s a privilege,” Dunlap stated, who admitted to nerves through the week. “I bought an awesome alternative to be right here, and to really feel what I felt on 16, 17, 18, I’m positive it’s, properly, hopefully, if I maintain enjoying properly, it’s solely going to enlarge.”
Burns’ 61 on the Nicklaus Event Course at PGA West set a report for lowest second spherical within the match and matched the course report set simply final 12 months within the third spherical by Dylan Wu.
Kim additionally performed the Nicklaus Event Course, one among three programs within the match rotation, and fired a 63 for his 16-under complete.
Scoring continued to be torrid Friday, with six gamers tied for fifth at 14 below. Seven of the highest 10 scores after 36 holes have been from golfers who performed La Quinta Nation Membership within the first spherical and the Nicklaus Event Course within the second spherical. These golfers will rotate to the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West for Saturday’s third spherical.
Patrick Cantlay tees off on the eighth gap of the Nicklaus Event Course at PGA West through the second spherical of the American Categorical in La Quinta, Calif., Jan. 19, 2023.
Among the many six golfers at 14 below are Patrick Cantlay (second-round 66), 2021 American Categorical champion Si Woo Kim (66) and 2023 PGA Tour Rookie of the 12 months Eric Cole, who shot 64 at La Quinta Nation Membership. Alex Noren, an in a single day chief after a 62 on Thursday, shot 68 for a share of fifth, whereas Adam Hadwin shot 65 on the Stadium Course and Christiaan Bezuidenhout shot 67 on the Nicklaus Course.
Burns’ spherical began with no trace of a cost at a 59 with pars on his first three holes. That modified on the par-5 fourth gap.
“On 4 I hit a extremely good tee shot in there, had 5-iron in,” Burn stated. “I hit it to most likely 15 ft or so, was capable of make it.”
The eagle jumpstarted the spherical, with Burns then making three birdies on his subsequent three holes on the way in which to a front-nine 31. One other eagle on the par-5 eleventh, this time with only a three-foot putt, stored the spherical going. One other stretch of 4 consecutive birdies beginning on the thirteenth took him to 11 below for the day with two holes to play, however routine pars on the par-3 seventeenth and par-4 18th capped the 61.
The 61 was hardly a fluke, stated Burns, a five-time PGA Tour winner and member of the U.S. Ryder Cup staff final 12 months.
“I used to be capable of come out right here early and get some work in with my coach, simply because the climate at dwelling’s been fairly dangerous,” Burns stated. “We bought some good work previously few days, and recreation’s feeling strong.”
Like many golfers within the American Categorical who grew up in Southern California, Kim has fond reminiscences of enjoying the desert programs as a junior golfer.
“I grew up in San Diego, so all these West Coast tournaments, and particularly these programs, I performed lots of junior golf tournaments right here,” Kim stated. “I even bear in mind a number of the pictures I hit into them 10, 15 years in the past. So it’s enjoyable to form of return into the reminiscence financial institution and simply bear in mind a number of the extra stress-free occasions, I suppose.”
Kim, whose solely win on the PGA Tour got here within the 2018 John Deere Traditional, fired 10 birdies Friday and a single bogey on the par-4 ninth gap on the Nicklaus Course.
“I’ve been actually rolling it very nice since Sony, and I labored on a pair issues with my coach, Sean Foley, main as much as the week,” Kim stated. “And I do know the changes I’ve to make and, hopefully, I can roll a number of extra birdies tomorrow.”
Lee’s 64 Friday was almost equivalent to Kim’s 63, solely with simply 9 birdies and the one bogey, once more on the ninth gap.
Dunlap birdied six holes on the entrance 9 on the Stadium Course however had eight straight pars on the again 9 till hitting an iron from the dormant Bermuda tough to 4 ft on the par-4 18th gap for a closing birdie. It’s all a part of a studying course of for Dunlap, he stated.
Nick Dunlap strains up a putt on the ninth gap through the second spherical of The American Categorical golf match at PGA West Dye Stadium Course. Obligatory Credit score: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports activities
“I’m nonetheless making an attempt to be taught as a lot as I can, and the way a few of these golf programs are totally different from faculty, however they’re nonetheless comparable. Enjoying in entrance of the crowds, and, no, I’ve loved it,” he stated. “I’m going to stay to what I’ve been doing, and that’s simply give myself as many birdie probabilities as doable.”
Dunlap and Hadwin might have one of the best rotation of the golfers within the prime 10 as they transfer to La Quinta Nation Membership for his or her third spherical. Cole strikes to the Nicklaus Event Course, with Burns and the remainder of the highest 10 heading to the Stadium Course. That course was as soon as the beast of the match, however in recent times has yielded low scores like the opposite layouts.
“I performed properly round there previously, so, hopefully, attempt to form of construct on that, and go on the market and simply hit as many high quality pictures as doable, see if we are able to make some putts,” Burns stated.
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