Retief Goosen and Ángel Cabrera have stormed their way to the lead at the Senior PGA Championship. Each of them made it through the second round with 5 under par scores. Their performance most certainly has produced high expectations for the weekend. Lee Westwood is only a stroke back, and others like Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Colin Morikawa remain in striking distance.
Goosen, a two-time U.S. Open winner, carded an impressive 4-under 68 in the second round. His record-setting round shot him near the top of the leaderboard, demonstrating his experience on the sport’s most difficult courses. “A tough golf course — all the guys that have really done it on hard golf courses really rise to the top and seem to grind it out maybe a little bit more than certain players,” Goosen commented, emphasizing the importance of skill in tough conditions.
Cabrera, the winner of one U.S. Open and the 2009 Masters, equaled Goosen’s score of 5 under. His excellent play over the past several months has put him in a good spot to chase down a possible payday. Both players have a history of clutch performances, and that puts them in the driver’s seat to be scary tournament threats deep into the knockout stage.
Jason Caron, a club professional at Mill River Club on Long Island, has made waves by finishing at 5 under, joining Goosen and Cabrera at the top of the leaderboard. “You’ve grown up watching these guys win tournaments and majors, and yeah, you’re in their company, and you’ve got to tell yourself you belong there,” Archer said, reflecting on the significance of competing alongside legendary golfers.
Padraig Harrington, a three-time major champion and two-time British Open winner, is just two shots off the lead. Like most authors, he knows how cutthroat the competition is. Given ideal circumstances, he’s aware that if the stars align somebody could go out and do something pretty special. “If it’s not windy, there’s so many people up there, somebody is going to shoot 66, 65,” Harrington stated, hinting at the potential for dramatic shifts in leaderboard standings.
Stewart Cink, another grizzled veteran at 52, underscores what makes the course such a challenge. This type of wind is for young people,” he said, admitting the effect shifting weather adds to what a runner has to overcome. Cink’s cumulative experience in major championships will be critical as he has to keep playing his way through the pack.
Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson both crashed during Friday’s second round – Els with a dismal 4-over 76. This disappointing performance plummets him down the leaderboard. Phillip Archer has had a terrific, honest career on the European Tour. He hopes to use his deep knowledge of this high stakes, high speed industry to do so.
Currently, the 11 golfers closest to the lead have combined to win an impressive 13 major titles. That’s an extraordinary number considering the type of competition that this year’s Senior PGA Championship will feature.
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