RD. 2 NEWS AND NOTES: CAM GETS BIG BREAK OFF GALLERY MEMBER
Brendan Steele and HyFlyers GC have a chance to pull off the potential sweep of the individual and team titles at LIV Golf Adelaide, but there are plenty other interesting news, notes and stats from the second round at The Grange Golf Club.
RELATED: ROUND 2 RECAP: STEELE TAKES ONE-SHOT LEAD; TORQUE LEADS TEAM RACE
ROUND 2 NOTES
SMITH’S BIG BREAK: Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith is 11 under through two rounds and the only player in the field this week who’s yet to suffer a bogey. But things might have been different had he not received a fortunate break on his tee shot at the par-4 17th Saturday.
With his shot veering right into potential trouble, the ball bounced off a gallery member and back into the fairway. Smith used the break to his advantage, making a birdie on the hole.
“I felt really bad for the old lady down there,” Smith said. “I hit her in the back.
“It probably wasn't going to be in the trees, but it was going to be in the rough and a different lie, so it could have been a different outcome. But made her proud and made a birdie there, and she helped me out. Hopefully that eased the pain a little bit for her.”
Smith signed a golf ball for her, but when he approached the woman, she had a different request.
“She was nice,” Smith said. “I went over there, and I signed a ball, and she said, just give me a hug, so I gave her a hug, as well. Yeah, she was sweet.”
TUCSON REUNION: Danny Lee beat Brendan Steele, Carlos Ortiz and Louis Oosthuizen last year at LIV Golf Tucson, draining the clinching birdie putt from the fringe on the third playoff hole. It remains the largest playoff in LIV Golf history.
The trio of Steele, Lee and Ortiz top the individual leaderboard through two rounds in Adelaide and will be in the leaders’ threesome that tees off last on the first hole.
“I give Danny a hard time about that putt all the time,” Steele said. “That was ridiculous. Hopefully he doesn't do it again tomorrow.”
Lee will understand if there’s a bit of revenge motivation for Steele and Ortiz on Sunday.
“I don't have anything going on for me,” Lee said. “I'm just enjoying this moment right now. Fans have been really fantastic for me. They're calling out a lot of my names. Just really enjoying this week.”
One thing in Lee’s favor? He said he’s actually playing better this week than during his win last year in Tucson.
“I feel like I'm in better control than Tucson,” he said. “But better thing is, I'm putting better than the way I putted in Tucson.”
STILL SEEKING TROPHIES: As mentioned, HyFlyers GC remains in search of its first individual or team trophy in LIV Golf. The only other team without a trophy of any kind is Cleeks GC. The other 11 teams have celebrated at least one team or individual trophy.
WATERING HOLE STATISTICS: The par-3 12th, otherwise known at The Watering Hole, played to a stroke average of 2.722 in the second round. A total of 16 birdies were recorded against just one bogey.
For the two rounds, the hole has ranked as the 11th most difficult on the course with a stroke average of 2.852.
ROUND 2 STATS LEADERS
Driving accuracy: Brendan Steele, Richard Bland, Graeme McDowell, Jason Kokrak, 85.71% (12 of 14 fairways hit)
Driving distance: Dustin Johnson, 325.2 yards avg.
Longest drive: Bubba Watson, 345.2 yards, 10th hole
Greens in regulation: Dean Burmester, 94.89% (16 of 18 greens)
Scrambling: Charl Schwartzel (5 of 5), Sam Horsfield (3 of 3), Graeme McDowell (3 of 3), Cameron Tringale (3 of 3), Joaquin Niemann (3 of 3), Dustin Johnson (3 of 3), Carlos Ortiz (2 of 2), Cameron Smith (2 of 2), Dean Burmester (1 of 1), 100%
Putting: Patrick Reed, Matthew Wolff, 1.33 putts per hole
Bogey-free rounds: Cameron Smith (65), Cameron Tringale (65), Dustin Johnson (66), Dean Burmester (66), Graeme McDowell (66), Charl Schwartzel (67), Sam Horsfield (68)
Jinichiro Kozuma (63), Mito Pereira (65), Anirban Lahiri (65), Marc Leishman (67), Cameron Smith (68)