Friday’s second round of the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic saw a hole-in-one for the second consecutive day, matching the excitement on the course as the PGA Tour continued its action from the Detroit Golf Club.
Joe Highsmith aced the par-3 fifth hole from 149 yards out, a day after Nate Lashley made a 1 on his second hole of the tournament, No. 11, from 217 yards. Highsmith is tied for ninth place at 9-under-par 135 after shooting 8-under 64, chasing the co-leaders at 13 under: 22-year-old American, Akshay Bhatia, and 29-year-old Englishman, Aaron Rai.
“When I hit it, I thought it was short for sure, it was just barely mishit,” Highsmith said of his pitching wedge on No. 5 to a tucked pin in the front left. “I was totally expecting to be in that kind of front rough bank and sure enough it just carried on and then it was right at it and I think flew in the hole second bounce, so that was quite a treat. Did not think it was going in by any means, but that was a steal, for sure.”
Bhatia shot 5-under 67 on Friday, putting him at 13-under-par 131 on the tournament. Rai shot a 65 on Friday, one shot off the day’s best round.
Some golfers who didn’t make the 4 under cut line notably included the top-ranked player in the field, Tom Kim, the world No. 16. Kim, who finished runner-up last week after losing in a playoff against Scottie Scheffler, shot 4-under 68 on Friday after shooting 73 on Thursday to finish 3 under, one shot off the cut line. He was making a ninth straight start this week, and clearly did not have his best form.
Here are four takeaways from the second round, before third-round play gets underway Saturday morning in Detroit:
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Akshay Bhatia continues to shine
Bhatia has been atop the leaderboard at the end of both days now. He has capitalizing on some approach shots with great putting, and played bogey free golf despite his early morning tee time. Even when he didn’t hit great shots toward the end of his round, he avoided trouble.
“I felt like a drove the ball a little better for the most part,” Bhatia said in his post-round interview. “Then I made some not great golf swings towards the end but, I only birdied one of the par-5s but I made it for with a couple good birdies, but all in all, it’s nice to be in the position I wanna be in.”
Bhatia, who won in April in a playoff at the Valero Texas Open for his second career win on Tour, seemed confident in his approach to the round. He smiled more often Friday, keeping fans engaged. His keys to victory entering the third round are very simple.
“You just got to keep your foot on the pedal,” Bhatia said, “I have made plenty of birdies this week, but I gotta keep going.”
Miles Russell improves, but not enough to stick around
Miles Russell, the 15-year-old in his first start on Tour, missed the cut by four shots, but had a bounce-back day after shooting 2-over 74 in his debut. He sunk three birdies on the front nine, and holed out from 63 feet on the par-3 11th, but made bogeys on the par-4 12th and par-4 16th to finish with a 2-under 70 — even-par 144 for the tournament.
“I think it was a good week,” Russell said afterward. “It just stinks that golf didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but it was a great week.”
Russell did not look frazzled by the moment, and has the skills and mindset to improve. The PGA Tour should expect to see him back in the future on a more consistent basis.
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Rickie Fowler makes the cut, but falls down leaderboard
The tournament’s defending champion finished the day even on the round, keeping him at 6 under for the tournament. Although he made the cut, Fowler is tied for 38th and seven shots back, after bogeys on his final two holes, Nos. 8 and 9.
Fowler birdied and bogeyed three times in the second round, missing the par-3 ninth in the right side rough, then his second shot ended up on the other side of the green into the left rough. He chipped to inside three feet and made the bogey putt to end the round.
Fowler’s rough finish puts him in a difficult spot to win in his title defense, but he doesn’t lack fan support.
Players to watch this weekend
Some other golfers moved up the leaderboard, which could make the race interesting over the final two rounds.
Rai followed up his 66 with a 65 on Friday and continues to impress, pushing Bhatia and forcing a two-way tie halfway through. The are paired together with Taylor Montgomery (11 under) in the final group for a 1 p.m. start.
Cameron Young, ranked No. 23 in the world, had another great showing Friday, shooting 6-under 66 to place him at 11 under. He continues to be precise on his approach shot and on the greens, a week after carding a historic third-round 59 at the Travelers Championship. The 27-year-old is looking for his first win on Tour, with seven runner-up finishes. Young was the 2022 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.
Erik van Rooyen tied for the best round of the day Friday, firing an 8-under 64 to tie for third two shots behind the leaders, along with Montgomery, Young and Troy Merritt, who lost here in 2021 in a playoff won by Cam Davis. If van Rooyen, a 34-year-old from South Africa, can continue his second-round success, he could be a surprise winner Sunday afternoon.
Davis, fan favorite Joel Dahmen and Eric Cole are tied for seventh at 10 under par.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Rocket Mortgage Classic: Akshay Bhatia shines, Rickie Fowler plateaus
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