05 Sep 2020 | Professional golf |
Leish makes ground at East Lake
by Martin Blake
Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith got a taste of what’s ahead of them in the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta today, with Leishman at least making up some ground
Leishman’s brilliant, opening 66, four-under par, still left him eight shots from the lead.
That’s because American Dustin Johnson, the points race leader, started out at 10-under par under the new system introduced by the tour last year, which amounts to a handicap race.
Victorian Leishman started at one-under under that system, and jumped 11 spots to be tied-10th after his round, which included birdies at the last two holes.
But Johnson shot a three-under par 67 that has him tied for the lead at 13-under with Spain’s Jon Rahm (65 today).
For Leishman, it was a return to form after he finished last in the BMW Championship last week, including a rare-to-see 80 in the first round.
Smith began at even-par and shot a nice two-under par 68 to jump into a tie for 18th today despite a double bogey at the par-four eighth hole where his tee shot found water down the left.
IN EUROPE, Queenslander Jake McLeod remains inside the top 10 at the Andalucia Masters in Spain, five shots from the lead after two rounds.
ON THE Korn Ferry Tour, Sydney’s Brett Drewitt is in contention after shooting a second-round 62 at the Lincoln Land Championship in Springfield, Illinois. Drewitt is two shots from the lead.