JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Beau Hossler did his part on another day of low scoring at the Sanderson Farms Championship, missing only one green Friday for an 8-under 64 to take a one-shot lead into the week as he chases his first PGA Tour victory.
Hossler started his round with a three-putt bogey from about 30 feet, and felt like he made just about everything after that, including a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 fifth hole.
Daniel Berger, out of golf for 18 months with a back injury, had another round of seven birdies and no bogeys for a 65 and was one shot behind.
The group two back included Keith Mitchell (64), Jacob Bridgeman (66) and David Skinns of England, who opened with a course-record 60 and had to rally with three birdies on the back nine just to break par with a 71.
Hossler was at 15-under 129 on the soft, still and vulnerable Country Club of Jackson. The cut was at 6-under 138.
“If you go out and try and shoot 8-, 9-under par, it’s not going to happen,” Hossler said. “You’ve got to try and take it one at a time, try and pick apart the par 5s as best you can, birdie the drivable hole. And there you are already starting 3-, 4-, 5-under par.”
He nearly followed that script, except for missing a 12-foot birdie on the par-5 13th. But he played the par 5s in 4 under with the eagle, and he made short work of the short par-4 15th.
“That’s my goal on an easy golf course, is to break it down and simplify it,” Hossler said. “Hopefully, I read the greens well and make some putts. That’s basically all you can do.”
Berger was No. 25 in the world when he stepped away with back trouble after the 2022 U.S Open at Brookline. He was at No. 664 when he felt good enough to return in January at The American Express. Only recently has he felt closer to normal.
“I think it’s kind of a process,” he said. “You’re working every day to get 1% better, 1% better, and then you got to a point where you don’t have to think about it or worry about it and that’s kind of where I am now.”
He said this was the first time he felt fully healthy, which for him is getting away from any doubts that he can go after a shot without worrying about pain.
The FedEx Cup Fall for most players is all about finishing in the top 125 in November to secure a full card for 2025. Bridgeman took a big step. He came into this week at No. 123, and now can think about a far bigger prize.
Skinns lost a little ground, which was to be expected. He had a three-shot lead when he finished early Thursday afternoon. Some 24 hours later, he already was five shots back of Hossler when he teed off for the second round.
Skinns made a pair of bogeys and was sliding down the leaderboard until pulling it together on the back nine to go into the weekend just two shots back.
Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland, also taking it slowly from brain surgery just over a year ago, didn’t hit it as well as he did in the opening ground and was thrilled. He still played bogey-free and posted a 68, leaving him in the group three shots behind at 12-under 132.
“Yesterday I played really well. All three levels — driving, short game, ball striking — was all really nice,” Woodland said. “Today was not as good and I hung in there. Very proud of not having it today and grinding it out.
“Just shows I’m doing a lot of things right, and looking forward to a big weekend.”
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