Connect with us

News

COVERAGE: Stricker’s Chip-in The 54-Hole Difference At Firestone

Published

10 months ago

on

Akron, Ohio — In his pretournament press conference, Steve Stricker admitted his game is not where he would like it to be despite some good happening, some loose shots have uncharacteristically held him out of the winner’s circle this season.

After chipping in on Firestone Country Club’s 18th hole, Stricker leads both Ernie Els and Robert Karlsson by a shot at the Kaulig Companies Championship, entering Sunday’s final round.

“It’s a battle, I’m battling,” Stricker opened up. “Mentally I’m battling. Physically at times, my swing, I’m battling. Yeah, probably more mentally more than anything. I just don’t have a lot of self-belief right now for some reason on the golf course. So, I’m battling every shot I feel like, and especially on the greens.

“I haven’t seen a lot of positive things on the greens. Today I did. I made some nice putts. The feeling isn’t always the greatest, but I made some nice ones and I’ll go work on it some more and see if I can’t find some feelings for tomorrow.”

Stricker’s make on 18 came after a missed fairway and hitting his approach pin high into the right rough.

The lie was not a good one for Stricker, the shot came out quickly, but it found the hole. This make was Stricker’s second chip in on the back side, having accomplished the feat on 14, both of these coming after admitting he had not chipped in for a while.

This is Stricker’s 20th time leading or co-leading prior to the final round on tour and a victory would give him 18, tying him for 14th all-time. Further, Stricker would join Bernhard Langer as the lone three-time winners of the Kaulig Companies Championship. He also could tie Jack Nicklaus for fourth most PGA Tour champions majors were he to hold off the field.

Els’s heroics towards the tail end of his round when he one hopped his approach into the 17th hole right into the cup, good for an eagle.

“(I) had 132 yards out of the rough and one of those things, crazy game, the ball came out beautifully,” recounted Els. “(I) can’t see the ball land, as you know, and I just watched the crowd behind. The one tall guy behind just went really, you know, ballistic, so I knew it was in, so it was really cool.”

Els led the field by hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation, attributing it to feeling easier and more in control of his golf swing.

Between Els’s bogey-free 64, Michael Wright’s 63 and Y.E. Yang’s 64, there were low scores to be had out on the course today, which was possible due to ideal conditions with little to no wind.

Els who is ranked third in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, is seeking to be the tour’s first three-time winner this season and his 64 matched the lowest round of the 2024 campaign.

Not to be outdone, Sweden’s Karlsson also recorded a bogey-free effort, to the tune of a 67. Karlsson last won the 2010 DP World Tour Championship.

Though he hit four fairways in the round, Karlsson bounced back hitting 15 greens leading the field Saturday by averaging 308 yards off the tee.

“When I hit my bad shots, I got away with it,” he said.  “You have to do that on this golf course. I hit a couple of poor drives and one I put myself in a bad, bad position, but the other ones I got away with. That’s what happens when you’re playing well.”

Karlsson’s game appeared a bit uncertain with a first round 81 at the American Family Insurance Championship, but a tie for 10th place at the DICK’s Open had his game heading in the right direction.

This week marks Karlsson’s 80th senior start and he looks to improve from a previous best tie for 14th place in the event.

Jerry Kelly, the 2020 and 2022 champion of this event is one of three players at -6 and got off to a fast start with birdies on each of his first three holes. Kelly flinched on the fourth but danced a putt in one hole later.

His scoring hit a standstill after the 11th hole, dropping a shot on 16.

The final round of this event is set to begin with threesomes on split tees at 9:05, though there is some potential weather which could affect the Akron area.

If Els can hold his position or win, he is projected to move past Stephen Ames and Steven Alker atop the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

COOPER’S CORNER

Colston Cooper made the trip into Akron and here are some photos from his walk.

Related Topics:

Get PGN in your Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Moon Golf Club

PGN on Facebook

PGN on Facebook

Follow PGN on Twitter