Si Woozy: Players Championship winner scores 8 on hole, tosses wedge into water
The Players Championship winner Si Woo Kim recorded the dreaded snow man (8) on the par-4 ninth hole Friday at the Dean & DeLuca Invitational, officially making three deposits.
It led to a missed cut, by one stroke (145), just two weeks removed from his biggest professional victory. He shot 73 Friday after an opening 72.
The 21-year-old withdrew from the AT&T Byron Nelson last week, citing back issues.
His adventure on No. 9 began with a greenside bunker shot that skidded right, across the green and into the pond fronting the green.
With the water hazard marked yellow, Kim was forced to drop on the fairway side of the pond, plus a penalty stroke.
He then deposited his fifth shot in the pond before finally playing safely on and making a 14-foot putt for quadruple bogey.
Kim made another deposit after reaching the green, tossing the wedge he used to play all three shots in the pond.
Finau in the hunt
Thursday Tony Finau sat near the cut line at 2-over par after the first round of the Dean & DeLuca Invitational.
Friday, the Utah native stormed on to the leader board with a morning round of 5-under 65 to climb into 10th heading into the weekend.
Finau will play the final 36 holes at Colonial Country Club looking for his first victory since the Puerto Rico Open last year.
“I got off to a great start, making 3 at No. 1 and then just rode that momentum all the way through,” he said. “When I needed to make par saves, I did and even though I had a few bogeys, I was able to finish off with a birdie at No. 18.”
Finau has four top 10s this season, including a similar rally at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in February.
Finau had five birdies on the day.
“I consider myself a shot-maker,” Finau said. “I think this is one of those golf courses that if you have some creativity you can play it and I think I definitely have that.”
Exemption exhausted
Of the 12 players to receive official sponsor invitations for the Dean & DeLuca Invitational, seven missed the 36-hole cut.
Collectively, the group was 62-over par and none of the players were under par.
Angel Cabrera (73-68), Curtis Luck (68-73), Robert Streb (70-72), Matt Jones (73-70) and Sam Saunders (71-70) will play the final 36 holes.
Champions Tour player and Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III shot 76-79.
Drive for show
Former long driver champion Jamie Sadlowski led the first two rounds in driving distance at 329.0 yards, followed by Martin Flores at 323.5. Of the top 10 through two rounds, only Jon Rahm (fifth) was among the tournament leaders.
On the greens, Paul Casey (fifth), Cameron Tringale (61st), O’Hair (fifth), Webb Simpson (first) and Jordan Spieth (11th) are the top five in strokes gained putting through 36 holes.
Bounce back
Jhonattan Vegas rebounded from a disastrous opening round 82 to fire a 1-under 69 Friday.
Vegas, a former University of Texas standout, opened Friday with a string of birdies in his first four holes.
He sits 57th in the FedEx Cup standings but missed the cut by six shots.
Champions choice
Sadlowski and former Texas player Beau Hossler received the Champions Choice exemptions per vote of previous Colonial winners.
Sadlowski shot 73-77 to miss the weekend, while Hossler backed up a first round 72 with a 75.
Hossler, making his first start in the Dean & DeLuca Invitational, has made three cuts in six events this season at the Farmers Insurance in San Diego, the Shell Houston Open and last week at the Byron Nelson.
This story was originally published May 26, 2017 at 8:17 PM with the headline "Si Woozy: Players Championship winner scores 8 on hole, tosses wedge into water."