SILVIS, Ill. (AP) — Doug Ghim accomplished an impressive feat by sinking his ball from the fairway for an eagle on two consecutive days. This accomplishment contributed to his score of 3-under 68 on Friday in the John Deere Classic. He now holds a one-shot advantage, marking the first instance in his six years on the PGA Tour that he has led after 36 holes.
Among the five players trailing closely behind, just one shot away from the lead, are defending champion Davis Thompson (63) and Max Homa (68).
Due to anticipated rainfall, the tee times for Saturday have been adjusted to an earlier start. Groups of three will commence play early, with the main coverage of the round’s conclusion airing from 1-4 p.m. on CBS, Paramount+, CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App.
Ghim previously scored by holing out on the relatively short par-4 sixth hole during the opening round. On this occasion, his impressive shot occurred from a distance of 179 yards on the par-4 15th hole.
“I think accomplishing back-to-back hole-outs is a welcomed surprise,” Ghim expressed. “It’s been some time since my last fairway hole-out, so achieving it on consecutive days is a remarkable feeling.”
Ghim maintained a two-shot lead until his shot veered left, landing among trees and onto a cart path. He recovered by punching the ball out, sending it through the green, and then chipping to a distance of 18 feet. However, he missed the subsequent putt, resulting in his second bogey of the round. His total score stood at 12-under 130.
Sharing the second-place position are Mexico Open victor Brian Campbell (66), David Lipsky (67), and Emiliano Grillo (66).
Ghim still perceives a significant journey ahead to secure his inaugural tournament victory, particularly in an event renowned for producing first-time winners more frequently than any other PGA Tour event since 1970.
“The ultimate victor of this tournament will likely achieve a score around the 20-under par mark, a threshold I haven’t reached yet,” Ghim noted. “While I’m not operating under the assumption that I’m firmly in the lead, I am pleased to have earned a late tee time tomorrow while remaining a contender.”
Homa briefly held a tie with Ghim later in the afternoon as the greens began to dry and harden. However, his tee shot on the 18th hole landed in a bunker, causing him to miss the green to the right and ultimately miss a 12-foot par putt, placing him one stroke behind.
He remains well-positioned heading into the weekend, aiming to refine his gameplay. Consistency, particularly stringing together four or even three solid rounds, has been challenging for Homa, and he expressed caution about getting ahead of himself.
“I don’t anticipate any major changes in strategy. My focus remains on navigating the golf course,” Homa explained. “A low score is undoubtedly necessary to win. Trying anything too specific might not be effective. It’s conceivable that someone could achieve an 11-under round and surge to the top. Therefore, I’ll concentrate on replicating today’s approach and playing another round.”
“My strategy is essentially to remain patient until the back nine on Sunday.”
Thompson, playing in the morning, became the first player to reach 11-under 131 as he aims to become the first repeat champion of the John Deere Classic since Steve Stricker’s three consecutive victories from 2009 to 2011.
The day concluded with considerable suspense as the cut line was ultimately established at 5-under 137.
Rikuya Hoshino and Jesper Svensson each managed to secure a birdie on their final hole, initially shifting the cut line to 5 under, only for Paul Peterson to card a bogey on his last hole, moving it back to 4 under.
However, in the final group, Brendan Valdes executed a powerful tee shot on the par-4 18th, followed by an approach shot that landed approximately 8 feet from the hole. He then successfully made the birdie putt for a score of 66. This resulted in the cut line moving back to 5 under, eliminating 14 players from weekend competition.
Rickie Fowler and Jake Knapp ultimately made the cut right on the mark.
Meanwhile, the third round will feature a tightly packed group of 12 players separated by only two strokes. This group includes notable players such as Camilo Villegas, Sam Stevens, and Si Woo Kim. Stevens and Kim are both aiming for a high finish to improve their world ranking, which will be utilized to determine the alternate list for the upcoming British Open.
