South African Louis Oosthuizen shot a scintillating bogey-free 66 to share the lead with Kyle Stanley at the halfway mark of the The Players.
The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Pete Dye’s magnificent and malevolent compilation of grass, sand and water, can also be described as the land of opportunity this week.
Of the 15 players ranked among the top 10 and ties at the midway point of The Players Championship, only three have won on the PGA Tour within the past two years. The rest? Well, let’s just say those trophies they won back in 2008, ‘09, ‘12, ‘11, ’13 and ’14 might be gathering dust these days.
So, the Waterford crystal obelisk that goes to Sunday’s champion of the Tour’s signature event could be a life-changer. Particularly for the four among the top nine, who have never won a PGA Tour event.
Louis Oosthuizen, who is tied for the lead, has never won on US soil, although he does have the 2010 Open Championship on his resume. And Kyle Stanley, who shares the lead at 9 under with the South African, nabbed his only tournament title at the Waste Management Phoenix Open five years ago.
“I’ve come close a few times, and I’ve felt I’ve played really well,” said Oosthuizen, a five-time runner-up on the PGA Tour.
“So it’s something I don’t really want to think about, but you do now and then think about it. I’ve played well, and it’s odd not to think about that I haven’t won on US soil.
“Hopefully I can change all that this week.”
Branden Grace is the only other South African to make the cut – and he did so on the number, after a second round 75 left him in a share of 66th place.
The man with the most recent Tour victory is Jon Rahm, who picked up his first win in January at the Farmers Insurance Open. Brendan Steele won the season-opening Safeway Open, while J.B. Holmes’ win at the Shell Houston Open came in 2015.
Holmes was actually tied for the lead until he bogeyed the last two holes Friday. He will start the day two strokes off the pace. Rahm, who is 22, is tied for 10th with Steele.
Vijay Singh, the ageless 54-year-old World Golf Hall of Famer, is alone at 6 under. He is nine years past his three-win 2008 FedExCup-winning season. But he has actually hoisted a trophy most recently – and it came last month on PGA Tour Champions.
Take Singh out of the equation – he has 34 PGA Tour wins and is bidding to become its oldest winner – and the other 14 players at the top of the leaderboard have a combined 20 Tour victories. The Players is extremely coveted, regardless of your pedigree, and the next two rounds will tell the tale.
“The history about the tournament, the golf course, everything about it, you see it as another major week of golf or for being a professional,” Oosthuizen said. “And this is definitely one of the courses that you try and up your game and just give it that little bit more for the week and try and win the championship.
“I think that is enough for a lot of motivation. Doesn’t matter what your golf game looks like.”
