At the halfway point of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, two players with strong Colorado connections are in position for their best finishes of the season on the PGA Tour, while two Coloradans, both relative newcomers to the Big Show, had to settle for 36 holes of valuable experience.
Former Colorado State University golfer Martin Laird (pictured), looking for his third top-10 finish in his first six starts of the 2016-17 wraparound season, shot a bogey-free 5-under-par 66 Friday at TPC Scottsdale and shares third place in his hometown event. With a 9-under-par 133 total, he trails co-leaders Byeong Hun An and Brendan Steele by one.
Laird is no stranger to performing well in the Phoenix Open, having finished third and fifth in the event just since 2011.
Denver native Mark Hubbard, who hasn’t posted a PGA Tour finish better than 72nd since July, has put himself in position to make some noise this weekend. Despite a final-hole double bogey as the sun set Friday — his only score worse than bogey for the day — the former CGA Junior Player of the Year fired a second straight 2-under-par 69 and shares 28th place.
Meanwhile, Monday qualifiers Jim Knous of Littleton and Michael Schoolcraft of Denver won’t be competing on the weekend after missing the 36-hole cut.
Knous, playng in his first PGA Tour event, was 3 under par for the tournament three holes into his second round, but a double bogey on the fourth hole combined with two bogeys in the middle of his round and water balls on 15 and 17 doomed his chances to make the cut. With three birdies, three bogeys and a double, he carded a second-round 73, putting him at 1-over 143 and in 91st place. He fell two shots shy of advancing to the final two days.
Schoolcraft, the medalist in Monday qualifying, finished 131st, missing the cut by a dozen on Friday. The Coloradan, competing in just his second PGA Tour event, played his final four holes in 3 under par by making birdie putts of 16, 16 and 12 feet. But he posted an 11-over-par 153 total (80-73).
Here are the scores for all the competitors with strong Colorado connections:
3. Former CSU golfer Martin Laird 67-66–133
28. Denver native Mark Hubbard 69-69–138
Missed 36-Hole Cut
91. Jim Knous of Littleton 70-73–143
131. Michael Schoolcraft of Denver 80-73–153
For the entire Phoenix Open leaderboard, CLICK HERE.
