Bubba Watson (-3) and Justin Thomas (-3) are the real heroes of the beautiful day on Saturday at the THE PLAYERS Championship. Bubba turned in a 68-hit card and Thomas a 69. Extraterrestrial results in a Stadium course wild. On a day of sofa, blanket and fireplace.
Only four players won the field and they were the only ones who dropped below 70 strokes. On a day where the average on the course was 4.36 bogeys per player, Bubba and Thomas managed not to commit any. From another galaxy.
It’s been a terribly tough day of golf. The northwest wind has been blowing strongly for much of the day, sometimes reaching 50 kilometers per hour, and temperatures have been plummeting as the day progressed. Just when the wind seemed to give a little respite, never stopping blowing, beware, the cold appeared. Trench day.
The Bubba and Thomas thing has been a display of capital golf. It is no coincidence that the winners of this very tough Saturday of THE PLAYERS have been two golfers who move the ball wonderfully. It’s what I had to do with so much wind. Variety of resources. Arsenal of possibilities in a round of golf where it was the same to hit a wedge of 167 meters than a wood 5 of 174. Eight clubs difference for seven meters. Blessed Aeolus.
Bubba Watson already proved the last day in Saudi Arabia who is a very special player with the wind. Today he has given another lesson. His 68-shot return has been sublime. He has played great golf and has managed to recover whenever he has needed it. The putter has also accompanied. There is no other way to make 68 strokes today than having all the plots of the game at full capacity.
Tommy Fleetwood and Tom Hoge hold the lead in THE PLAYERS Championship
Needless to say, the two have been fully involved in the fight for victory in THE PLAYERS, and it has a lot of merit because they come from one side of the draw where it has been very difficult to play golf, first with interruptions and then with today’s conditions. The leaders, yes, is still at six under par. They are Tommy Fleetwoodwho was able to play three holes in the second round, and Tom HogeHe didn’t even come out to play. That which was saved.
Some flash examples of the value of Watson and Justin’s 68 and 69: Brooks Koepka (+9) had 81 shots, Lee Westwood (+9) had 80 shots, Jordan Spieth (+7) had 79 shots, Justin Rose ( +4) had 79 hits, Xander Schauffele (+7) had 78 hits, Jason Day (+3) had 78 hits, Scottie Scheffler (+2) had 76 hits or Collin Morikawa (+3) had 75 hits. Take a good look at the names. very hard
Bubba Watson is a different player. For better and for worse. the same wins you two Green Jackets from Augusta that in the next 29 Grands that he disputes he barely adds a top ten (fifth place in the Masters) and makes just over half of the cuts. It’s what geniuses have. Because his turn today, and Thomas’s, is genius.
Justin Thomas is the defending champion and, for now, looks set to become the first player in history to win THE PLAYERS Championship two years in a row. It seems that the horror stories he was told Tiger Woods and Fred Couples on the 17th hole they have served him. Twice he had to play this par 3 today and both times he got the ball on the green. Of wand and top hat.
Right now there are 54 players under par in the tournament, although all of them have only managed to complete two rounds, a total of ten. Do not doubt that that number of 54 is going to be noticeably lower tomorrow when the second round is over. And it is that the conditions on Sunday are not going to be extraordinarily better than today. A little better yes, but not much. It will blow less wind, but it will be colder. At the time the game will start, 8:15 in Florida, two degrees are expected on the thermometer and it will not rise too much. As for the wind, the forecast warns of intensities between 30-35 kilometers per hour in the morning. You have to hold on. The curves follow…
Honors to those ten players who have finished under the first two days: Bubba (-3), Thomas (-3), Daniel Berger (-2), Kevin Kisner (-2), Russell Henley (-2), Dustin Johnson (-2). -2), Sam Ryder (-1), Keegan Bradley (-1), Branden Grace (-1) and Sepp Straka (-1).
