Friday’s second round of the PGA TOUR’s 3M Open proved to be another good day for Waterford’s Séamus Power as the 39-year-old posted another three-under-par 68 around TPC Twin Cities, to take him into the weekend in T24.
Power took on the back nine to start his second round early Friday morning, making one of his two bogeys for the day at the par-4 11th. It was simple golf for Power from there who parred his way to the 18th which has proved to be a hole he can capitalise on as he made another eagle thanks to a 230 yard second shot which left him five feet from the hole.
Power holed out for eagle at the 18th from 135 yards on Thursday.
Taking the eagle momentum into the front nine, the 39-year-old came flying out of the blocks with birdies at the first and third before his second and final bogey came at the par-4 fourth.
Power finished with a bang as he made birdie at the last thanks to a brilliant chip-in from 41ft to get back to the clubhouse with a 68. Power now sits at six-under for the tournament, eight back from the lead.
At the top of the leaderboard, Michael Kim set a new astonishing course record as the 33-year-old posted a 12-under-par 59 to soar to the top of the leaderboard at 14-under.
Kim went on two consecutative birdie runs – making five in a row from holes three through seven, and another four in a row from holes 15 through 18. He holed a 17-foot birdie at the 17th and a 24-footer for birdie to seal it at the 18th. Kim added birdies at the ninth, 10th, and 11th also.
“I kind of remember thinking on 18 that you have to go for it,” Kim said, “60 or 61 doesn’t really make too much of a difference.”
“To be able to make some putts, and the putts that I made on 17 and 18 is what I get most from PGA TOUR golf, from golf in general, so really proud of that,” he added.
Kim’s 12-under 59 is the 16th round of 59 or lower in PGA TOUR history.
“I just kind of told myself like, ‘Hey, this is the moment to get into the history books and let’s go for it, let’s not try to luck our way into it, let’s try to step up and hit some really good shots,’” Kim said.
Ben Kohles, Emiliano Grillo, and Chandler Phillips occupy T2, three strokes back from Kim at 11-under.
Kohles, who shot a nine-under 62 on Thursday followed it up with a two-under-par 69 on Friday.
Kohles’ post-round interview was interrupted by a roar when Kim sank his final putt.
“That’s sick,” Kohles said, smiling. “There’s a 59. I guess 62 wasn’t as good.”
Scottie Scheffler dropped eight places to T13 at seven-under after posting a one-under-par 70. Scheffler has himself to blame as two bad swings at the 14th and 17th cost him a fairly strong round.
Scheffler was at nine-under for the tournament before his approach shot found the water at No. 14. His tee shot at the par-3 17th landed in the right rough, and his second shot from an awkward lie well below his feet skidded 34 feet past the hole, resulting in a bogey.
“Just got a bad break, but that happens,” Scheffler said.
Leave a comment