Friday’s golf: Hossler leads by one at Sanderson Farms in search of first win

Posted by Admin October 5, 2024 Golf

Associated Press
| Associated Press

Jackson, Miss. – Beau Hossler did his part on another day of low scoring at the Sanderson Farms Championship, missing only one green Friday for an 8-under 64 to take a one-shot lead into the week as he chases his first PGA Tour victory.

Hossler started his round with a three-putt bogey from about 30 feet, and felt like he made just about everything after that, including a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 fifth hole.

PGA TOUR SCOREBOARD

Daniel Berger, out of golf for 18 months with a back injury, had another round of seven birdies and no bogeys for a 65 and was one shot behind.

The group two back included Keith Mitchell (64), Jacob Bridgeman (66) and David Skinns of England, who opened with a course-record 60 and had to rally with three birdies on the back nine just to break par with a 71.

Hossler was at 15-under 129 on the soft, still and vulnerable Country Club of Jackson. The cut was at 6-under 138.

“If you go out and try and shoot 8-, 9-under par, it’s not going to happen,” Hossler said. “You’ve got to try and take it one at a time, try and pick apart the par 5s as best you can, birdie the drivable hole. And there you are already starting 3-, 4-, 5-under par.”

He nearly followed that script, except for missing a 12-foot birdie on the par-5 13th. But he played the par 5s in 4 under with the eagle, and he made short work of the short par-4 15th.

“That’s my goal on an easy golf course, is to break it down and simplify it,” Hossler said. “Hopefully, I read the greens well and make some putts. That’s basically all you can do.”

Berger was No. 25 in the world when he stepped away with back trouble after the 2022 U.S Open at Brookline. He was at No. 664 when he felt good enough to return in January at the American Express. Only recently has he felt closer to normal.

“I think it’s kind of a process,” he said. “You’re working every day to get 1% better, 1% better, and then you got to a point where you don’t have to think about it or worry about it and that’s kind of where I am now.”

Dunhill Links Championship

Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium and Cameron John of Australia shared the lead at the Dunhill Links Championship, where players ranked outside the top 400 in the world shaded the big names and top golf leaders on Friday.

Jon Rahm, one of 14 players from Saudi-funded LIV Golf in the field, bogeyed two of his last three holes for a 71 at Kingsbarns and was six shots behind. Rory McIlroy, playing in a group with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, had a 69 at Kingsbarns and was eight back.

Colsaerts, a one-time Ryder Cup player who has fallen to No. 695 in the world, showed he hasn’t lost his penchant for going low by making eight birdies for a 7-under 65 at Carnoustie.

John is No. 1,007 in the world ranking. He opened with a career-best 62 and followed that on Friday with a 68 at St. Andrews, his round slowed by taking two from a pot bunker and making double bogey on the par-5 fifth hole.

They were at 14-under 130, one shot ahead of David Law of Scotland (No. 454) and Darren Fichardt of South Africa (No. 462).