2021 Sanderson Farms Championship scores: Will Zalatoris among three tied for lead after Round 2

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Will Zalatoris felt like he could not miss on the inexperienced and infrequently did Friday in setting the course document with an 11-under 61 to share the lead with Nick Watney and Sahith Theegala within the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Zalatoris, voted the PGA Tour rookie of the yr regardless of not having full standing final yr, made it look so easy on the Nation Membership of Jackson that his longest putt for par was 3 toes.

One of many poorer photographs he hit was on the par-5 third gap after making the flip. He hit a weak fade right into a bunker some 30 yards away and blasted out to three toes, turning a tough shot into yet one more birdie.

“The times the place I make 20-footers, these are the times that I find yourself placing an incredible spherical collectively, as a result of I am all the time going to be the man that is going to hit 14 plus greens to offer myself probabilities,” Zalatoris mentioned.

Watney, coming off his worst season in a decade, backed up a strong begin with one other good spherical. He opened with 4 birdies in six holes and dropped just one shot on his approach to a 66.

Theegala additionally held his personal after opening with a 64, new territory for the California rookie in simply his second begin as a PGA Tour member. He chipped in for eagle on the par-5 third gap to proper again within the combine. Theegala completed with a 30-foot birdie putt for a 67.

They had been at 13-under 131 in what figures to be per week of low scoring.

The reduce was at 5-under 139. Amongst those that missed was Sergio Garcia, the defending champion enjoying per week after a draining Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.

Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland took two photographs from behind the ninth inexperienced on his remaining gap and made bogey for a 73 to overlook the reduce by one.

Zalatoris had a exceptional rookie season with out having full standing, boosted by a tie for sixth within the U.S. Open final September and tying to second in the Masters.

All that is left is to win.

“I’ve gotten requested loads, `What are your targets for this yr?’ And in addition to profitable a golf event, I actually have any,” he mentioned. “In fact, everybody has targets of attempting to be on a Ryder Cup or a Presidents Cup. I’d be mendacity if I mentioned I haven’t got a bit fireplace in my stomach after lacking out and watching guys that I grew up with enjoying as part of Staff USA.”

Enjoying on sponsor exemptions final yr, he nonetheless completed No. 22 within the Ryder Cup standings.

Watney hit solely two fairways, although not by a lot and he was hardly ever out of place.

“It did not appear that traumatic. That sounds actually traumatic, however it wasn’t that traumatic,” he mentioned. “For probably the most half I stored it in the correct spot on the greens and I made a number of form of bonus putts that you just may not anticipate to make. So these are all the time enjoyable.”

Cameron Younger and Hayden Buckley every shot 65 and had been one shot out of the lead. Roger Sloan of Canada shot 67 and was two behind.

Sam Burns, who was significantly thought of as a choose for the Ryder Cup, was amongst these three photographs behind.

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