RSM Classic 2021 Score: Gooch leads Munoz by one shot after Round 2 at Sea Island

NS. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — A strong Atlantic wind gust swept across Sea Island on Friday, and it wasn’t a problem for Talor Gooch of Oklahoma as he handled the open-air Seaside course for a 5-year-old. under 65 years old. lead once in RSM Classic.

As expected, the opening lap favorable conditions that led to the record scoring gave way to 25 mph winds and 10 degrees cooler temperatures.

“The only thing in common between yesterday and today is that we played 18 holes,” said Zach Johnson, who lives at Sea Island and scored a 1 under 71 on Plantation to complete three rear shots.

Gooch matched the round’s low score – Taylor Moore had a hole-in-one at 17 at Seaside with 65 – and was in 13 under 129.

He was ahead of John Huh, who had 67 in Plantation, and Sebastian Munoz, who went from 60 in Seaside to 70 in the second round at Plantation. Moore and Mackenzie Hughes of Canada (68 years old at Seaside) are two people behind.

Gooch is trending up. He finished 14th in the FedEx Cup and had a pair of top five finishes at the Fortinet Championship to start the season and the CJ Cup in Las Vegas. Still looking for his first win, Gooch hasn’t missed six starts this fall and has finished 11th or better four times.

“It’s just comfortable,” he said. “Obviously I’m playing well, but I think my game produced some good stuff in a number of ways. And I’ve been training for years, but especially the last six, eight months with the control. ball and I’ll try to hit the ball. This weekend.”

Gooch highlighted his round with an eagle putt just over 65 feet on par-5 Saturday, the longest putt he has made in his PGA Tour career.

“Any 66 pin, you’re just trying to hit two shots, aren’t you?” he say. “But my pace is pretty good this week and I actually ran about 50 feet yesterday, so I feel comfortable on these lawns from long distances. You always steal once you get hit. fall.”

Gooch made just one trick, which is no small feat in terms of conditions, and four of his five birdie shots came from 6 feet or less.

Munoz, who matched the tournament’s record with 60 in the first round at Seaside, opened his last hole to share second with Huh.

A day after half of the course at the Seaside Course broke the scoring record with an average of 66.31 – the second lowest on the PGA Tour since 1983 – the other half averaged more than four stokes higher at 70.96. Average score on Plantation almost increased by four shots, from 68.70 to 72.68.

Win odds are 4 under 138. Among those who made it to the weekend was tournament organizer Davis Love III, 57, with birdies at Nos. 13 and 15 with an even score of 70 at Seaside. Also making the cut is Adam Scott, who needs birds in three of the four holes on Plantation back nine for a 71.

Among those who missed out on the cut were major champions Jason Day, Lucas Glover and Graeme McDowell, as well as defending champion Robert Streb. He beat Kevin Kisner in the playoffs last year. Neither will be around on the weekend.

Johnson, meanwhile, is trying to break the “sea island curse.” None of the players living in the region were able to win the RSM Classic in its first 11 years. That group includes Matt Kuchar, Harris English, Brian Harman and Hudson Swafford, all of whom are PGA Tour winners.

“Well, it’s hard, it’s hard to win,” said Johnson, who was in the last group in the finals last year, but completed three shots outside the playoff between Streb and Kisner. “There’s probably a little bit of extra pressure because of who you’re playing against and things like that. I think it’s going to happen. … I think the odds are in our favor.”

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