TCU product Tom Hoge’s game starting to heat up at Byron Nelson
Former TCU golfer Tom Hoge is wondering if his golf game doesn’t have a built-in thermometer.
A 2-under-par 68 Friday put him four back of leader Ben Crane and in a group of eight at 8 under through two rounds at the AT&T Byron Nelson Championship.
“For some reason, last year I started playing well around June,” said the Fargo, N.D., native who was an All-Mountain West performer from 2008-11. “So maybe it’s that North Dakota golf season of three months. … I’ve got to play well.
I hit it really well for two days. Missed a few shorter putts that I’d like to make today, but I’m in a good position going in to the weekend.
TCU product Tom Hoge
“I feel like I’ve played well the last month and it’s getting better. Things have just started coming together. Hopefully, I can get some putts to go this weekend.”
Hoge has two top-10 finishes this season, including a ninth at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio last month. Still, he had missed the cut in three of his previous five tournaments.
The Fort Worth resident got around the TPC Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas in 29 putts, identical to his round Thursday. Hoge consistently kept it in the fairway Friday, putting himself in position for birdie looks.
“I hit it really well for two days,” Hoge said. “Missed a few shorter putts that I’d like to make today, but I’m in a good position going in to the weekend.”
Hoge, 141st in the FedEx standings, will also be in the field for next week’s Dean & DeLuca Invitational at Colonial.
Flores makes cut
Fort Worth native-turned-Dallas resident Martin Flores will be playing on the weekend in a PGA event for the first time in 2016.
Flores, who received a sponsor’s exemption, made the cut — his fourth consecutive at the Nelson — with a 2-under second round and 7-under total. He went bogey free for a stretch of 34 consecutive holes before a taking a 5 on No. 8, his 17th hole, Friday.
Flores lost his PGA card last year and is working his way back on the Web.com Tour. Finishers in the top 25 of the Web.com’s finals series money or the top 25 from the regular-season money list will earn their PGA cards. Flores, who attended Mansfield High School and played at Oklahoma, is eighth.
Flores had a 12th-place finish in November’s Sanderson Farms Championship and has four top-five finishes this season on the Web.com, where he has earned more than $135,000.
Moving blues
The site of the Nelson won’t move for another two years, but tournament leader Ben Crane is among those grieving the TPC’s imminent demise. There’s also a possibility that he has ulterior motives for sweet talking her — he has two dates with her Saturday and Sunday.
“We’re leaving this course in two years and the more I’m around it the more I’m going, ‘I don’t know, this is an awfully good track,’ ” Crane said. “It’s in perfect shape. Maybe the best shape I’ve ever seen it. The hospitality here that AT&T is able to take advantage of is pretty phenomenal, putting guests up in the hotel. It’s a great spot.”
The Nelson is set to move to Trinity Forest, under construction in south Dallas, in 2019.
Crane has had success at the Nelson, with two top-10 finishes and only three missed cuts in 12 appearances and more than $893,000 in earnings, including $518,000 for second in 2002.
Surprise budding
Things might be finally looking up for Bud Cauley, who missed all of last season recovering from shoulder problems, but he is one stroke out of the lead after a 5-under 65 in the second round.
Cauley is playing in his seventh event on a major medical extension out of the Web.com Tour. In his previous six starts, he has missed four cuts. The 26-year-old Florida native who attended Alabama is poised to win a much-needed hunk of money.
Cauley entered the Nelson needing to earn $588,543 in 11 remaining starts to earn PGA status. During one stretch of his 14-month recovery, Cauley didn’t hit a ball for seven months, causing self-described misery of idle time, “mindless” physical therapy and a lot of Netflix.
“I wore out Netflix,” Cauley said. “The thing which pops up, ‘Are you still watching?’ Yes, I’m still watching. Let’s keep it going. I got nothing to do.”
Briefly
▪ Dustin Johnson, who is among a group at 8 under, made his 19th consecutive cut, best among active PGA Tour players.
▪ Colleyville resident Ryan Palmer (1 under) missed his first cut in 13 events.
This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 8:46 PM with the headline "TCU product Tom Hoge’s game starting to heat up at Byron Nelson."