Tournament host Phil Mickelson is among those in danger of missing the cut at the American Express PGA tournament in La Quinta as play opened Saturday.
Mickelson, a San Diego native, is next-to-last at 7-over 151, following a 1-over 73 at the Nicklaus Tournament Course.
The World Golf Hall of Fame member shot a 6-over 78 at the La Quinta Country Club on Thursday, equaling his highest score in his 77 rounds in the tournament.
First-round co-leader Patrick Cantlay holds a one-shot lead over fellow American Tom Hoge entering Saturday’s third round of the $7.6 million tournament after firing a four-under-par 68.
Will Zalatoris is among five golfers tied for third, two shots off the lead at 12-under par 132. Fellow Americans Lanto Griffin, Greyson Sigg, Cameron Young and Joseph Bramlett are also tied for third.
The tournament is the final PGA event ahead of the Farmers Insurance Open, which begins Wednesday in La Jolla.
Cantlay began his round at the Nicklaus Tournament Course on the 10th hole and birdied the 11th, 13th, 15th and first holes before getting his first bogey of the tournament when he bogeyed the par-3 third hole. He also birdied the fifth and seventh holes and bogeyed the eighth.
“It was a solid day,” Cantlay said after extending his streak of consecutive rounds in the 60s to 21. “I didn’t get very much out of it. I hit the ball really well and then the wind picked up the last nine holes and made it a lot more difficult.”
Spaniard Jon Rahm, the world’s top-ranked men’s golfer, shot a 2-under 70 at the Nicklaus Tournament Course to drop six shots off the lead at 8- under through two rounds.
Cantlay and the 51 other golfers who played at the Nicklaus Tournament Course on Friday will play at the Stadium Course Saturday. The golfers who played at the Stadium Course Friday play at La Quinta Country Club Saturday. The golfers who played at La Quinta Country Club on Friday play the Nicklaus Tournament Course on Saturday.
The field will be reduced to the low 70 professionals and ties following conclusion of the third round. The final round will be played at the Stadium Course.
– City News Service
