Taylor Pendrith grabs two-shot lead midway through 3M Open
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Taylor Pendrith of Canada lines up a putt on the 18th green during the second round of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities on July 26.
PHOTO: AFP
WASHINGTON – Hitting the greens is what golfers aim to do but it is something tough to achieve consistently.
On July 26, Canadian Taylor Pendrith managed that as he fired a seven-under 64 in the second round of the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota to take a two-shot lead.
Now at 12-under 130 for the tournament, he built on a first-round 66 at TPC Twin Cities, pocketing birdies on Nos. 4 and 7 before finding top form on the back nine. He finished with three birdies over his final four holes and had seven birdies on the day.
“I’ve been hitting the ball really solidly, been hitting a lot of greens,” said Pendrith, who hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation.
“Today was pretty tricky with the wind, it was blowing pretty hard at times... I stayed really patient.”
While several other golfers ran into trouble the past two days, the 33-year-old remains bogey-free.
He chalked up his success to picking clubs and hitting shots.
“I hit a lot of greens,” Pendrith emphasised. “Today I feel like I had some in-between numbers and chose the smart club and hit it to 40 feet and kind of took my two-putt. Then hit a lot of quality shots and was able to make birdies.
“Yeah, driving the ball in play here is key, and hitting the greens. The greens are fairly big so you do have to have good speed on the greens, but I’ve been able to do all three of those.”
Matt NeSmith, who matched Pendrith’s seven-under round, is now his closest pursuer on 132.
“I played really solid. I’ve been putting really well for the last three weeks or so, it’s been very hot,” the American said. “I’ve just been working on it. It’s finally starting to come through. Played some really nice golf.”
NeSmith’s day included an eagle on the par-five 12th hole. He added birdies on Nos. 1, 2, 6, 14 and 16.
Andrew Putnam sits at 133 after a five-under 66 which included five birdies.
Rookie Jacob Bridgeman, who led after a first-round 63, fell into a tie for third with Putnam after posting a one-under 70. He had two bogeys and three birdies, with two of his birdies coming over his last four holes.
The 24-year-old American is happy to still be in the hunt, saying: “I’m excited, I like this course. I feel I can keep up the good play and keep going.”
Four golfers are tied for fifth at 134 – Americans Doug Ghim (64), Alex Smalley (65), Lanto Griffin (66) and Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas (66). REUTERS