PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Viktor Hovland is looking for his swing and located himself in competition Friday on the Valspar Championship, the place Jacob Bridgeman has a one-shot lead and a number of others are proper behind going into the weekend at Innisbrook.
Bridgeman was amongst a number of gamers atop the leaderboard on an unseasonably chilly day till the Copperhead course bit again sooner or later. He had a two-shot lead till lacking a par putt from 4 ft on the 18th gap. That gave him a 2-under 69.
Bridgeman was at 6-under 136 by two rounds.
Hovland (67), Byeong Hun An (67) and Ryo Hisatsune (66) have been one shot again, with a big group at 4-under 138 that included Shane Lowry and Xander Schauffele, who prolonged with out stress his consecutive streak to 60 cuts made.
Editor’s Picks
The shock was Hovland, which in itself is a shock contemplating he gained the FedEx Cup two years in the past and regardless of some swing points nonetheless ended final 12 months at No. 8 on the planet.
Hovland cares in regards to the “how” greater than the “what number of” in golf, and the Norwegian star is prepared to seek for solutions irrespective of his scores. The most recent search has been most irritating, evident by the revolving door of coaches.
He has gone again a second time to Grant Waite. He might be within the last group Saturday. How far alongside he’s within the course of is a thriller even to him.
“I nonetheless do not precisely know the place the ball’s going to start out and curve and all that stuff,” Hovland stated. “However in case you’re hitting strong photographs, that is begin, particularly out right here when the wind is beginning to blow. … Nonetheless does not really feel fairly that nice, however no less than it is enchancment.”
He shot 80 within the opening spherical of the Gamers Championship, so there’s that.
That is the primary time Hovland has made a 36-hole lower for the reason that Scottish Open final July. Different tournaments have been signature occasions or FedEx Cup playoff occasions that haven’t any lower. He has performed nicely at occasions, similar to his runner-up end within the playoff opener final 12 months.
He desires to see good photographs after which good outcomes. He’ll get the occasional good consequence, and the search continues.
“You simply get up day-after-day and also you stand over the ball, and also you simply count on the ball to start out in that course and go that course and find yourself someplace near the opening,” Hovland stated. “Then it begins to not do this; it is fairly irritating. You begin pondering stuff you’ve by no means thought earlier than.”
In entrance of him at Innisbrook is a chance, together with loads of firm.
Lowry had a torrid begin in chilly climate with six birdies on the again 9 for a 67, solely to complete with seven pars and two bogeys for a 69. Even so, he was two behind together with Schauffele, Kevin Velo (70) and Jeremy Paul of Germany (69).
“I performed that 9 holes fairly flawlessly, did not actually miss many photographs,” Lowry stated. “Sadly, I wasn’t pretty much as good on the opposite 9. However I believe 4-under on a day like at the moment, in case you had given me that within the locker room this morning, I might have taken it.”
Schauffele has made the lower on the quantity the previous two weeks, his first competitors in two months due to a rib damage. He additionally has shot rounds of 81 and 77 since getting again, making him understand the return was lots more durable than he imagined.
Greater than making the lower, his hope for Innisbrook was to be “in contact” with the lead. That he’s, solely two behind with an opportunity to really feel somewhat weekend strain for the primary time in months.
“That is a type of locations the place it may possibly get away from you fast, or you’ll be able to sort of cling in there and your identify might be up there on Sunday late within the day,” Schauffele stated. “So I am simply making an attempt to play golf.”
There was loads of drama on the lower line, which fell at 2-over 144. Amongst these barely making it was Adam Scott, who birdied two of his final three holes to make it on the quantity.
Then once more, Scott and 12 different gamers would have missed the lower if not for Neal Shipley. He wanted par on the 18th gap within the final group for the lower to remain at 1 over. Shipley discovered a bunker off the tee and missed a 15-footer for par.
The distinction between final place and Bridgeman was solely eight photographs.
