JACKSON, Miss. — Ben Griffin joined a crowded pack of contenders within the Sanderson Farms Championship after which moved previous them Friday afternoon with a 30 on the again 9, sending him to a 9-under 63 and a 2-shot lead going into the weekend.
Griffin’s rating was 1 shot higher than his earlier finest in his rookie season, highlighted by a 65-foot eagle from the perimeter on the par-5 14th gap on the Nation Membership of Jackson.
Solely one in all his seven birdies got here from inside 10 ft.
Griffin was at 14-under 130, 2 pictures forward of Harrison Endycott (65), Luke Listing (66), Carl Yuan (66) and Henrik Norlander (67).
The Sanderson Farms Championship is a part of the FedEx Cup Fall, when gamers try to complete among the many prime 125 within the FedEx Cup to maintain full PGA Tour playing cards for 2024.
Griffin is at No. 66 and already has his card locked up. At stake for him is being amongst Nos. 51 to No. 60, which qualifies him for $20 million tournaments early subsequent 12 months at Pebble Seashore and Riviera.
The 4 gamers behind him are on the bubble or in determined want of an excellent week. The FedEx Cup Fall nonetheless has 5 tournaments left after this week, a kind of a restricted discipline in Japan.
Griffin believed he performed the opening spherical simply as nicely till stalling on the finish, taking part in his final 5 holes in 1 over and having to accept a 67. That appears to have mirrored his rookie season. He began nice, almost profitable in Bermuda. He held his personal in opposition to a powerful discipline at Bay Hill. After which he limped his method the remainder of the summer season.
“I needed to ensure I stayed aggressive,” he mentioned.
Griffin started the again 9 with a pair of 15-foot birdie putts, after which bought what he referred to as a “bonus” on the 14th with the lengthy eagle putt. He drove simply over the inexperienced on the reachable fifteenth, pitched into the grain to 10 ft and made birdie to take the lead.
He closed with a 15-foot birdie on the seventeenth and had an opportunity to go ever decrease till lacking a birdie on the 18th from simply inside 10 ft.
Nonetheless, his 63 was one higher than rounds he shot on the Wyndham Championship, the Bermuda Open and The American Categorical.
Chesson Hadley was not fairly as harmful as he mentioned he was on Thursday when he led with a 64. He had a 69 and was within the giant group 3 pictures behind.
Erik van Rooyen of South Africa, one other participant attempting to ensure he nails down a spot within the prime 125, was amongst these at 9-under 135, and mildly stunned. He was attempting to easily get to the home with out two a lot harm, and he thought he hit his hole wedge slightly heavy. Anticipating it to return up brief, think about his shock when it went in for an eagle and a 68.
Scoring was so low throughout the sphere that the reduce got here at 5-under 139. Amongst these lacking was defending champion Mackenzie Hughes of Canada, who made a daring bid on the finish till he pulled his tee shot into the hazard on the sixteenth and took bogey.
Hughes missed out by a fraction ending within the prime 50, which might have secured a spot in all of the $20 million occasions subsequent 12 months. He nonetheless is in fine condition to get within the first two.
Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, coming off a Ryder Cup debut in Rome, had a 69 and was 6 pictures behind. Aberg was No. 1 within the PGA Tour College rating when he completed at Texas Tech earlier this 12 months. His card is ready for 2024, however he desires to complete within the prime 125 to get different perks, reminiscent of The Gamers Championship.
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