Golf: Suh grabs lead at Honda Classic but Kirk on fire
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Justin Suh plays his shot on the 17th green during the second round of the Honda Classic on Feb 24, 2023.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MIAMI – Patience is key in golf, not only on the course, but off it as well.
Justin Suh understands this and is not fazed by disappointment when most of his peers are ahead of him in the game.
The 25-year-old American is part of group of college stars who turned professional in 2019.
While the likes of two-time Major champion Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff have won titles early in their careers, Suh has struggled with a wrist injury.
He did not earn his PGA Tour card until in 2022 when he won the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
“I never really let it get to me,” Suh told Golfweek.
“Obviously, they had immediate success, and it was cool watching them play so great.
“But for me, I knew I needed to improve. I just kept my head down and worked on my game.”
On Friday, he grabbed a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens with a birdie on the final hole.
That gave him a six-under round of 64 and an aggregate of 10-under 130.
Fellow American Chris Kirk was a shot behind after producing the round of the day with an eight-under 62, one short of equalling the course record at PGA National.
Ryan Gerard (63) and England’s Ben Taylor (65) were both two strokes behind Suh on eight under for the tournament.
Suh got off to a shaky start with a bogey on the par-four second hole after he missed a four-foot putt.
But he put together a run of four straight birdies from the eighth hole and crowned a fine round with a superb third shot on the 18th, which he landed seven feet from the hole.
“I think we played it pretty conservative, but aggressive to our spots,” said Suh, whose 64 was the lowest round of his fledgling PGA Tour career.
“We definitely left ourselves some opportunities, but I thought we just hit it to the right spots on the green.
“We made some long lag putts that fortunately just went in, and that’s always a key to some good weeks.
“So hopefully we just keep it rolling.”
Kirk played positive, attacking golf and was rewarded with an eagle on the par-five third hole, where he blasted his second shot 247 yards to just under 20 feet from the hole.
Fellow American Chris Kirk was a shot behind after producing the round of the day with an eight-under 62.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The 37-year-old produced four birdies on the back nine.
But, with a sub-60 score entering the possibilities, he had to settle for pars on the final three holes.
A birdie on the 18th would have equalled the record low round of 61 set by Brian Harman in 2012 and by Australian Matt Jones two years ago, but Kirk missed a 14-foot putt.
“It was a bummer not to make it. I misread the putt.
“But I definitely won’t let that put a damper on a really good day,” he said.
AFP, REUTERS
