It was another good day to go low in Detroit with plenty of players making a move. Chris Kirk and Webb Simpson both stand at the top of the leaderboard heading into the weekend. There is plenty of firepower behind them with six players, including BRYSON, within one-shot of the 12-under-par pace.
Chris Kirk is a name most of you might not be familiar with. He shot a 65 on Friday to give himself the final tee time on Saturday with Webb. Kirk took time off last year to address issues with anxiety and alcohol. Sober for over a year and back in the game and making moves. In his last start, he won on the Korn Ferry Tour. Today he was money around the green. Chipping not once, twice on BACK-TO-BACK holes!
I would have bladed that wedge shot from Detroit to (checks google maps) Ann Arbor. Then he find the thick stuff behind the flag on his next approach shot and does this…
It is already a great story for Kirk, but can he hang with the big guns on the weekend?!
One of those big guns is Webb Simpson. Yes, you read that right. Webb Simpson is a BIG GUN. With a win or solo second finish, he’ll become the highest American in the Official World Golf Rankings. Impressive stuff.
Webb has been throwing darts since the restart and today was no different.
That was for his FIFTH birdie on the front nine en route to an eight-under 64. He had eight birdies and 10 pars on the day. Pretty solid. He also showed some bunker skills late in the round to tie Kirk for the lead.
One of the newer trends on Tour is guys hitting big drives and calling out our boy Bryson. Today was no different. Bubba Watson hit this 335-yard bomb and wanted to get in DeSLAMbeau’s ear.
Bryson (completely unaware of the call out) stepped up and did his thing.
Hey Bubba, somebody’s closer (Bryson’s drive was 346).
Bryson had another solid day. Carding a 67 to sit one back of the pace, despite not having his best stuff (his words).
Some of the other guys one back heading into the weekend are Seamus Power (yeah, you guessed it he’s Irish), Mark Hubbard, Ryan Armour, Richy Werenski and Matthew Wolff.
Wolff is one of the young guns that is wowing fans. He got some good national exposure when he played in the Skins Exhibition match with Rickie Fowler alongside. Well, he’s looking for his first top-10 since winning the 3M last year. He was on fire early this morning.
That amount of bite on that ball was awesome. Looked like it was shot out of a cannon. Nice easy birdie to start his day that saw him card a 64. He also had the flat stick working. In all he made nine birdies to go along with just one bogey. I know I said it yesterday, but I love watching the ball disappear on a good putt.
One of the more relatable moments of the day was when defending champ Nate Lashley hit a poor approach shot.
The video cuts off a little, but I feel yah, Nate. In fact, any wedge inside 30 feet is considered a win in my book. What was unrelatable was his putt that followed…
Nice little 30-footer for bird. Lashley tried his hardest to get it going, but a bogey on 18 made him miss the weekend and we’ll have a new champion in Motor City.
Who do you like heading into the weekend?!
FORE!