Keith Mitchell followed up his scorching Thursday 61 with a solid 3-under 67 to post 12-under through 36 holes. He’s got a one-shot lead over Shane Lowry, who handled the conditions better than just about anyone, carding a 65 to vault into solo second.
What are what are maybe some of the not so obvious ways that made playing today a little more difficult than yesterday? Longer clubs into the uh par fours. Um par fives were still downwind. Uh at least when I played them, they were downwind so you could still get to them, but a lot longer clubs into the uh holes that yesterday we were trying to take advantage of. How’s the uh you said you were you were short game showed up today. Was there anything you worked on in specific that kind of stepped stepped that in the right direction? I just I was very I picked good targets today. So, when I had some uh some greens that I missed, I was trying to be below the hole or back into the green. And when you do that, you just have a lot better chance of hitting it hitting it close. How do you change your gear setup um from a course at a, you know, northeast like growing in for summer course versus like a Bermuda course like we’re going to see next week with PGA? Uh rain gear and sweaters. That’s it. You you mentioned yesterday having a friend who kind of gave you some tips. I mean, how have you been able to put those into practice if at all? Um, you know, we’re we’re picking different spots today just with different clubs, but you know, played completely different than it did yesterday and so it didn’t necessarily change our strategy. It’s really just changed the clubs we were hitting into the greens. You know, you’ve been tremendous on opening rounds throughout the year. How are you able to kind of build on what you did yesterday and bring it into today? I guess just being a little bit more comfortable in that position. you playing well the last couple Thursdays. It’s just feel like I’ve been there now three or four times. So trying to just build off that and you know build into Friday and then Saturday and Sunday. I mean it’s four round tournament. They don’t give any points or money out on Thursday. So I got to keep it going. And you followed up both of your bogeies with birdies. How important were those bounce backs to kind of keep the momentum? Huge because I mean if you get going the wrong direction with momentum on a day like today, it can really it can really catch you. So able to hit two really good putts after I made bogeies. And you really the the reason I made bogeies was I I knew I’m not supposed to miss it short on two or left on on 11. And you just there’s really nothing you can do. You’re just going to have to take five and move on. What do you think you’ve learned about having these first round leads, first rounds where you’re, you know, near the top of the leader war? What do you think you’ve learned about the experience of being in that position? I mean that they really don’t give any money or points out on Thursday and you got to keep it going. I mean, it’s great to have a good opening Thursday. It it puts you in good position, but it doesn’t guarantee anything. So, I got to keep my head down and keep moving.
