Needing win to extend playoffs streak, Kuchar takes lead in Greensboro

By The Associated Press on August 10, 2024.

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) – Needing a victory to keep his FedEx Cup playoffs streak alive, Matt Kuchar shot his second straight 6-under 64 on Saturday to take the second-round lead in the rain-delayed Wyndham Championship.

Kuchar is the only player to reach every post-season in FedEx Cup history. The top 70 will qualify for the playoff opener next week in Tennessee, with the 46-year-old Kuchar 113th – and the late Grayson Murray still on the list at 57th.

“Certainly been a frustrating year, but I feel like the bar’s been set high,” Kuchar said. “I feel like I played a lot of good golf, consistent golf for a long time. Makes the, I guess, poor golf that much more frustrating.”

The nine-time tour winner was facing a 36-hole Sunday at Sedgefield Country Club in the event washed out by rain Thursday and delayed Friday and Saturday. Twenty players were unable to finish play Saturday.

“I’ve got some built-in confidence knowing that a month or two ago when I was down at the U.S. Open qualifying, did 36 holes at the Bear’s Club, was a medallist down there,” Kuchar said. “Able to walk 36 in the heat and humidity without too much problem.”

With players allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls in the fairways because of the wet conditions, Kuchar moved up the leaderboard with late birdies on Nos. 5-7.

“This Bermuda rough is nasty, do not want any part of it,” Kuchar said. “When it’s dry, it’s no fun. When it’s wet, it’s really no fun. I stayed out of it a good bit and I was able to get the golf ball in my hand, tee it up basically and be able to try to be fairly aggressive with the iron shots.”

Max Greyserman was a stroke back along with Cameron Young and Chad Ramey. Greyserman shot 60, leaving a 50-foot birdie putt two feet short on the final hole.

“Hopefully, more birdies fall tomorrow,” Greyserman “It’s going to be 36 holes, so just keep plodding along, stay patient and keep attacking.”

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., are both tied for 15th at 7 under – five shots back of Kuchar.

Rogar Sloan of Calgary is tied for 26th at 5 under, and Mackenzie Hughes of Hamilton, Ont., is tied for 46th at 4 under. Nick Taylor of Abbotsford and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., are tied for 70th at 3 under.

The 29-year-old former Duke player opened with five straight birdies, had four in a row on Nos. 12-15 and made a 25-footer on the par-3 17th. Second two weeks ago in Minnesota, he was the second player in two days to go to the 18th hole needing a birdie to shoot 59.

On Friday, Beau Hossler parred the final three holes in a 60. There have been 14 sub-60 rounds in PGA Tour history, with Brandt Snedeker shooting 59 at Sedgefield in his 2018 victory.

Young had two eagles and a double bogey in a 62.

“It’s just one of those things that you know you’re going to be tired, but who cares really how you feel on Monday,” the former Wake Forest player said.

Ramey had a 64.

“I’m going to go see the physio guys and might go do an ice bath and then just rest because I know tomorrow’s going to be a long one,” Ramey said.

Hossler shot 70, leaving him two strokes back with Aaron Rai (65) and Billy Horschel (68).

Jordan Spieth, at No. 62 in standings, missed the cut with rounds of 67 and 71. He was playing the event for the first time since 2020.