Earlier this month, Denny McCarthy was in the driver’s seat at the Memorial until a closing bogey forced a playoff against Viktor Hovland. The Norwegian bested McCarthy, and the search for his first win on the PGA Tour continued.
However, through 36 holes of the 2023 Travelers Championship, McCarthy is in prime position to hoist hardware for the first time.
After an opening 10-under 60, McCarthy got around TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, in just 65 shots Friday to take a share of the halfway lead at 15 under, alongside Keegan Bradley — who we’ll cover in a minute.
After playing the first nine in even par, McCarthy turned it on once he made the turn, pouring in birdies at Nos. 10, 13, 14, 15 and 18 for a back-nine 30.
“I’ve been playing some nice golf coming into this,” McCarthy said. “Just keep trying to get better every day. Still some things — I’m going to go over to the range. There are still some things I think I can improve on for the weekend.”
If you missed any of Friday’s action in New England, no worries, we have you covered. Here’s everything you need to know from the second round of the Travelers Championship, plus a look at Saturday’s weather forecast.
Travelers: Photos
The local favorite is right in the thick of it
Keegan Bradley was born in Vermont and went to high school in Massachusetts. He’s a proud New Englander.
So a chance to win the Travelers Championship, the lone PGA Tour stop in this part of the country, is a dream come true for Bradley.
A dream that could be realized Sunday afternoon.
Following his opening-round 62, Bradley posted nearly the same on Friday, a bogey-free 7-under 63 to tie McCarthy at the top of the board. His putter was hot yet again, making a 58-foot bomb on the par-4 third and a 35-footer on the par-3 12th. Bradley is second in Strokes Gained: Putting this week at +5.49.
“Connecticut-New England, this is where I grew up, so I really want them to get behind me this weekend and be as loud as they can be. I’m proud to play here for them,” Bradley said after his round.
If he wins Sunday, the locals will be proud of him.
Rory McIlroy makes a charge despite double bogey
The putter finally woke up for Rory McIlroy on Friday, allowing the Northern Irishman to make a charge up the leaderboard.
After a par at No. 10, McIlroy poured in a 19-foot birdie on the par-3 11th — his second hole — to get his day going. After failing to two-putt the 13th green for a birdie — a par 5 — McIlroy made back-to-back circles on Nos. 14 (13 feet) and 15 (four feet), then again on Nos. 17 (14 feet) and 18 (seven feet) to go out in 30 (5 under).
He once again rattled off two in a row at Nos. 2 (14 feet) and 3 (25 feet) before making an easy birdie at the par-5 sixth (three feet).
However, after making an ace there on Thursday, McIlroy dumped his tee shot on the par-3 eighth in the water and stumbled his way to a double bogey, his lone blemish in round two.
“It just got hit by a little bit of wind,” McIlroy explained after his round. “The wind just sort of switched on us. Hit a pretty good shot. I just misjudged the wind a little bit and it came up short — the one place you couldn’t miss today on that hole.”
After four consecutive starts, how’s the four-time major champion feeling?
“I actually feel OK,” he said. “You know, I think two days at home in between LA and here was nice to not really do anything.
“Yeah, I actually for my fourth week in a row feel OK, which is a pleasant surprise.”
McIlroy (8 under) will need that energy Saturday as another low one is required on Day 3 if he hopes to catch McCarthy and Bradley at 15 under.
Justin Thomas found something Friday
Justin Thomas has been struggling.
He missed the cut at last week’s U.S. Open, missed the cut at the Memorial and tied for 65th at the PGA Championship. Many thought a week at TPC River Highlands, a track known for producing low scores, could be a great springboard for Thomas.
It didn’t look that way Thursday, as Thomas posted a pedestrian even-par 70.
Friday, however, was a different story.
Starting on No.1, Thomas birdied Nos. 3, 4, 6 and 7 before a bogey at nine sent him out with a 3-under 32. After making the turn, Thomas went on a rampage. He birdied Nos. 10, 11, 13, 15 and 16 before bogeys at 17 and 18 halted his momentum. He posted a second-round 6-under 64 to jump into contention — although he’ll need two more low ones over the weekend to have any hope with how the course is playing, especially with more rain in the forecast.
Thomas’ last win was the 2022 PGA Championship. His last top-10 finish came at the Valspar Championship in early March.
Zac Blair's unique preparation
How did Zac Blair get dialed in for the Travelers? Well, he played Eastward Ho! in Chatham, Massachusetts, on Monday, Fishers Island in New York on Tuesday and Winged Foot on Wednesday.
And it’s paid off so far.
Blair has posted consecutive rounds of 65 and is 10 under through 36 holes, five back of the leaders.
In four previous trips to TPC River Highlands, Blair missed three cuts and finished 62nd in 2016.
Saturday's weather forecast
According to Weather Underground, there’s a 75 percent chance of rain Saturday morning around 9 a.m. ET, and a 35 percent chance of thunderstorms around 4 p.m. ET. The temperature is expected to reach 82 degrees with winds up to 8 MPH coming from the south.
Tee times have been moved due to the forecast:
Approximate tee times for round three at Travelers Championship will be 10:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. off two tees in groups of three.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) June 23, 2023
