Branden Grace will start at the back of the field on Saturday after making the cut on the number at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
It’s not been a great week at Colonial for Grace, who sits at +2 through 36 after a second 71. The gap to leader Jonas Blixt is 11 shots, with the Swede one ahead of American duo Kevin Na and Tony Finau. Former South African Rory Sabbatini is in 4th at -6.
Grace hit just 10 fairways in regulation on Friday and his greens accuracy number was only a fraction better. He survived to play the next 36 holes by holding level in the field in the putting stakes – a 1.3 shot improvement in that category compared to his first loop around the Fort Worth Texas club.
Friday got off to a good start when he made light work of the second-hardest hole on the course, the third, when he stroked home a nine-footer for birdie. Bunkered off the sixth tee, he handed that shot back to turn level.
A birdie on the 625-yard par-5 was offset by drops at his next two holes – the first despite hitting the fairway, and the next after missing his mark off the tee.
He needed just six foot to get back to level for the day after a superb iron into the par-3 16th, but closed with a bogey after a wild tee shot.
An up-and-down tournament for sure.
