DeChambeau narrowly misses a 59, takes lead at Caves Valley
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Big, wide and soft Caves Valley didn’t stand a chance against Bryson DeChambeau on Friday in the BMW Championship. Only the record book did.
DeChambeau overpowered the vulnerable course, and when his 8iron to the par-5 16th rolled off a bank on the back of the green down to 2 feet for eagle, he needed two birdies on the final two holes to tie the PGA Tour record of 58.
He missed from 15 feet on the 17th. He missed a 6-foot putt on the 18th hole and lost his bid at the 13th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history.
DeChambeau had to settle for a career-best 60, giving him a oneshot lead over Patrick Cantlay when thunderstorms caused the second round to be delayed.
Jon Rahm, the world’s No. 1 player, also was a shot behind and faced a 15-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole when play was halted by darkness.
“A lot of putts went in. A lot of things went right,” DeChambeau said to broadcast outlets. “I played my butt off and never thought too much about anything until the last few holes, and I striped a 9-iron on 17, striped a drive, striped a wedge on 18.
“And just wasn’t able to clutch those putts up.”
It was the second straight week during the PGA Tour postseason that a player had a putt to break 60 on the final hole. Cameron Smith missed from 12 feet at Liberty National in the third round last week. DeChambeau had an even better look than that.
His wedge landed some 25 feet beyond the flag and the spin caused it to zip back toward the hole, 6 feet below the cup. The putt was wide left all the way. DeChambeau snapped his fingers, tapped in for par and then returned to the spot for a practice stroke, trying to figure out what went wrong. Little else did. DeChambeau was at 16-under 128. The second round will be completed this morning, and players will be grouped in threesomes going off both sides for the third round.
Cantlay, who had one of the great putting rounds of his career Thursday, was equally strong in a round of 63 that was largely overlooked. He played in the group behind DeChambeau and played a classic style of golf that resulted in 10 birdies until his lone bogey from a tough lie in the collar of rough around the par3 17th green.
“Today I hit it better all the way through and also putted really well,” Cantlay said. “I thought I played great — 9 under, I’m very pleased. But obviously, there was lower than that out there today.”