Fleetwood Leads St Jude Open After Four Shots
Fleetwood Flies into Four-Shot Lead at FedEx St. Jude championship Amidst Rain Delay
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tommy Fleetwood is making a compelling case for his first PGA tour victory, surging to a four-stroke lead at the FedEx St. jude Championship, the opening event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. A blistering second-round 64 has the Englishman firmly in control at TPC Southwind, despite play being suspended due to heavy rainfall.
Fleetwood’s Stunning Second Round
Fleetwood’s round was a masterclass in birdie-making, punctuated by extraordinary scoring streaks. He carded seven birdies in total,beginning with three consecutive gains from the second to the fourth holes. He then followed that up with an equally impressive run of four straight birdies from the 13th to the 16th, briefly holding a five-stroke advantage. A single bogey on the 18th prevented a second consecutive 63, but he still heads into the weekend at 13-under par.
This performance comes after a heartbreaking loss at the Travelers Championship in june, where Fleetwood narrowly missed out on victory. He’ll be hoping to finally break through and secure his first PGA Tour title this week.
The Contenders
A trio of players find themselves within striking distance of Fleetwood: Collin Morikawa, Akshay Bhatia, and Justin Rose, all at nine-under par.
Morikawa’s 65 was highlighted by a spectacular eagle, holing out from the fairway on the par-4 ninth. Bhatia, who set the pace with an opening-round 62, followed up with a one-under 69. Rose is still to complete his second round, currently nine-under with two holes remaining.
Kurt Kitayama is one stroke further back at eight-under, after a superb 63. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler endured a rollercoaster round, mixing four bogeys with eight birdies to reach seven-under. The four-time major champion visibly displayed his frustration at times, even attempting to kick his club after an errant drive.
Play Suspended,Lowry to Resume Saturday
Heavy rains flooded TPC Southwind in the afternoon,forcing a suspension of play with 21 golfers still on the course.Shane Lowry, currently tied-57th at two-over par, is among those who will return Saturday morning to complete their second rounds.
Second-round play will resume Saturday morning before the third round begins, utilizing a two-tee start in threesomes to catch up lost time.
FedEx Cup Playoff Implications
The top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings qualified for the St. jude Championship. Following Sunday’s final round, the top 50 will advance to the BMW Championship, the second event of the fedex Cup Playoffs, held next week in Owings Mills. The stakes are high as players battle for position and a chance to compete for the ultimate prize – the FedEx Cup trophy.
With additional reporting: Reuters