BLAINE, Minn. — With the FedEx Cup two weeks away, Lee Hodges can breathe simpler. Justin Thomas cannot.
Hodges birdied 4 of his final six holes for a 7-under 64 and a four-stroke lead over Tyler Duncan on Friday after nearly two rounds of the 3M Open.
An almost two-hour afternoon climate delay led to play being suspended as a result of darkness with six gamers but to complete — none inside 10 pictures of the lead.
Hodges, 74th within the FedEx Cup factors race, opened with a 63 for the first-round lead and had a 15-under 127 whole to interrupt the event 36-hole file of 128 set by Bryson DeChambeau in 2019.
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Hodges was 3 beneath on the entrance 9 and added a 33-foot birdie putt on No. 13, adopted by birdies from 14 toes on No. 14 and 11 toes on No. 17.
“I’ve obtained an incredible angle on the market. Me and my caddie [Andrew Medley], we’re 70-something on the factors checklist. Like what do we’ve got to lose, you understand?” Hodges stated. “We have dedicated to each shot we have hit to date, which has been nice. We’ll proceed to do it, as a result of what do we’ve got to lose.”
A prolonged last-hole putt was not sufficient to beat a pair unhealthy holes as Thomas goals to make the FedEx Cup playoffs for the eighth straight season. He birdied 4 of his final 5 holes to shoot an even-par 71, leaving him 2 beneath for the event and two strokes quick.
Thomas, at No. 75 within the FedEx Cup standings, has missed 5 cuts in his previous seven begins. The highest 70 subsequent week after the Wyndham Championship will advance to the playoffs. Trying to keep in sturdy consideration for the U.S. Ryder Cup group, Thomas has simply two top-10 finishes in 14 tournaments since mid-February.
Beginning on the again 9, Thomas put two balls within the water on the par-5 18th, falling to 1 beneath. An errant tee shot and poor chip led to a different double bogey on the par-3 fourth, earlier than a robust ending stretch was punctuated by a 30-foot putt on No. 9.
“It is a good probability for me to study a little bit bit about myself and push myself and develop into higher,” Thomas stated earlier than the event. “I imply, this recreation, nothing’s given to you. I’ve had nice possibilities to win the FedEx Cup the final 5 – 6 years, and now I am attempting to make the playoffs. That is simply the way in which that this sport is. And it may well occur to anyone, so you have simply obtained to exit and get it.”
He wasn’t the one participant to place premature dents in potential playoff plans by lacking the minimize. No. 70 Okay.H. Lee (1 beneath), No. 72 Davis Thompson (2 beneath) and No. 90 Gary Woodland (3 over) additionally get the weekend off.
Duncan, who has missed six cuts in his previous eight occasions and 17 of 27 this season, shot a 67. He has back-to-back bogey-free rounds.
Defending champion Tony Finau (66), J.T. Poston (66), Brandt Snedeker (68) and Kevin Streelman (68) are at 10-under 132.
With one top-10 in 25 begins this season, Streelman is in a uncommon place.
“I have never been within the ultimate teams shortly on a Saturday, so wanting ahead to that. At my age I haven’t got a lot to lose, so exit and have some enjoyable this weekend,” the 44-year-old Streelman stated.
