Crimson Red Sports

Poulter and Rose: -2
Spieth, Thomas, Matsuyama, OTHERS: -1

Dufner: +3.  :lol2:

Stuart Manley finishes at -2; Rose and Poulter still -2.
Spieth, Thomas, Matsuyama, OTHERS are still at -1.

Justin Thomas gets bogey at #6 to drop to E.

Spieth birdies #9 also.  HE'S THE LEADER!  -3

Phil should have kept Bones.  :(

Bubba looks thin and cold today.  His nose is red, and his hands are in his pockets.
Doesn't look like he's in contention, but he's at -3.

And Bubba gets a bogey: -3.

He must have lost 20-30 pounds.  He looks skinny.

Kuchar playing well.  He's on the green with a chance at eagle on #15.

 #+

Another bogey; Bubba back to -2.

Kuchar plays a poor 16th (bunker got him), and drops a shot: -5.

Here's how the leaderboard looks going into Saturday:

1. Jordan Spieth (-6): He didn't play as well as the 69 indicates, but those par saves and especially the eagle on 15 are just commonplace for Spieth when he's at the top of his game. He faced some of the worst weather of the day but capitalized in stretches when the weather cleared up. After coming up short two years ago, Spieth is the headliner and the favorite to win at Royal Birkdale.

2. Matt Kuchar (-4): It was a battle for Kuchar the whole way, trying to estimate and adjust based on the howling wind that really picked up as he was making the turn. After a bogey-free round on Thursday, Kuchar was grinding, picking up three birdies and four bogeys (two in the last three holes) on his way to a 71.

The regular PGA Tour event this week is in Opelika. Full of former Booger players. Duffner would have been better off playing there.

:lol:  True

Westwood and Jason Day are both -3 for the day, and are moving up. 
But they're at +2; too far to go.
Jason Day is showing flashes of his quality play, but he's lost his mojo somehow.
 :dunno:

Both Kuchar (-6) and Spieth (-7) have chance at birdies on #7.

 :popcorn2:

Kuchar missed.

Spieth got his!   #+

SUNDAY:

It's early yet, but at least Bubba is playing.  He's doing well enough (+1), but not 'in the hunt' this week.  He hits the ball so high that he suffered with the high wind on Friday.

Weather is good again today, so scoring should be good again too.

Should be a good day.  I agree with 2; either Spieth or Kuchar winning would please me.  They tee off at 8:30 CDT.

And then another.  :(

BEEF Johnston got a birdie.  He cracks me up.

(https://usatgolfweek.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/andrew-beef-johnston.jpg?w=1000&h=600&crop=1)

The European version of Boo Weekly.  :lol2:

Kuchar (-8) hits his 2nd shot on #2 within inches to put him at -9 (one shot back).

But Spieth lands his 2nd shot just 8-9' from the hole to possibly match Kuchar.

 :popcorn2:

3rd HOLE (par 4):

Both Spieth (-10) and Kuchar (-9) missed the green on #3.

Kuchar is in a bunker; Spieth just off the back of the green.  It will be tough for both to get pars here.

 :popcorn2:

4th HOLE (par 3).  The wind has freshened to 15-20k:

Kuchar in another bunker.  Ugh!

Spieth lets go with his right hand as he swings, and leaves the ball very short on the green.  Tough 2-putt from there.

Meanwhile a Chinese player (Li) has finished with a 63, and posts -6 after a birdie on 18.

Spieth pars #7, Kuchar barely misses his birdie putt and makes par also.

Rory making some noise. He's at -4.

8th HOLE (par 4):

Spieth (-9) off first is on the fairway (for a change).  Whew!
Kuchar (-7) also hits a driver onto the fairway.

K leaves his below the hole, and has a good chance at birdie.
S hits a crazy wedge from 100 yds FAR past the hole, and will have to work for his par.  Ugh.

9th HOLE (406-yd par 4):

Spieth (-9) is first with an iron; is off the fairway in 2nd cut.
Kuchar (-7) is just off the fairway.

K hits a beauty to within 10'.
S (from the rough) also with a beauty to within 15'.

10th HOLE (short par 4):
The wind is steady at ~20k with gusts higher.  Probably affecting the shots from here on.
Light rain now too

Kuchar (-8) is well off the fairway to the right, but okay.
Spieth (-8) is off the fairway left, but okay also.

Marshalls told our leaders to speed up their play.

Kuchar (from a beaten-down area)  is on the fringe left.
Spieth gets it on the green, about 30' away.

To Spieth's credit, he doesn't look rattled, but he's got to settle down if he wants to win this.

11th HOLE (par 4):

Kuchar (-8) is on the fairway.
Spieth (-8) hits his alongside Kuchar's ball.

Meanwhile, Rory hits his drive FAR left, and it may be lost.  They've searched for a while now.

K on the green in regulation, but far from the hole (30-35').
S mishits the iron ("I hit it fat."), and it goes left of the green into the crowd.

Rory's ball still lost.

That was a heck of a save by Spieth.

12th HOLE (par 3):

Kuchar (-8) is on the green, but long (40-50').
Spieth (-8) better, right over the flag, to within 20'.

13th HOLE (long par 4):

Kuchar (-8) fortunate; misses the fairway right, but not in the bunkers.
Spieth (-8) is FAR FAR right of the fairway.  NUTS!  He just doesn't do this often.

 :pullhair:

K hit a great recovery to within 20'.  He waits there for Spieth.

Spieth's ball is a mess; on a steep hillside about 200yds away from a tough green surrounded by bunkers.  He takes an unplayable, and moves the ball 120 yards to a level area (and gets a penalty stroke).

After walking all over the practice area with a marshall, considering all sorts of solutions, Spieth drops the ball on a level area, but must play over a high dune to the green 200+ yards away.

He didn't like the shot, but at least he left the ball in a good area short of the green.  He can chip from there and hope to get down with a bogey.

14th HOLE (par 3):
Still windy (17-20k).

Kuchar (-8) is on the green right, but 20-25' away and short of the hole.
Spieth (-7) almost holes the tee shot.  He ends up 3' past the hole.

 :popcorn2: :popcorn2: :popcorn2:

15th HOLE (par 5):

Spieth (-8) hits a driver long and in the fairway.  He can go for the green.
Kuchar (-8) also on the fairway, but not quite as long.  He can also go for the green.

 :popcorn2:

Kuchar from 259 yds puts it in a green-side bunker.
Spieth from 257 yards, puts it on the green left, but ~48' away and below the hole.

Kuchar gets in for birdie: -9.
SPIETH SINKS A 48' PUTT FOR EAGLE!!

Just wow!!!!!!!!!   :o

16th HOLE (par 4):

Spieth (-10) hits a driver long; just off the fairway left. 
Kuchar (-9) is in the fairway dead center; short of Spieth's shot.

Kuchar comes up just short of the green, but an easy chip from there.
Spieth is hole high, left of the flag; ~ 20-22' for birdie.

Makes you wonder if he was trolling everybody up until #14.  :lol2:

Just wish I'd put that $20 on him this tournament.  It didn't pan out for the US Open! 

 :-[

Shhh.  Don't tell Ricky!

17th HOLE (par 5; wind from the left and behind):

Spieth (-11) hits his (wayward) 3-wood to the right again, but this time ends up on a stomped-down area. Should be okay for the next shot.
Kuchar (-9) is in trouble; in the rough and maybe under thick stuff.

 :popcorn2:

Kuchar gets the club on it and sends the ball forward almost 200 yards.
Spieth lays up (being smart).

Kuchar puts his shot on the right level, but behind the hole by a good bit.  Good chance for birdie from there.
Spieth has a tough 56-yd chip, but must get atop the tier with the flag.  He stops when an idiot photographer clicks.  His chip is excellent; behind the flag by 15-17' for a birdie.

18th HOLE (par 4):

Spieth (-12) could hit an iron here and win.  Will he??  NOT A TEXAN!

Spieth does play an iron off the tee.  His ball is off the fairway by 3', but okay.  He is a long way from the green.

Kuchar MUST birdie to have a chance.  His driver leaves the ball long but in the 2nd cut; and his chance of winning is diminished.

Well I see somebody won. I guess the 20.00 dollars didn't pay off. lol, RTR!

:lol: :lol: just a 20.00 I was dreaming about. RTR!