Nothing had changed, except for his place in the record books when he returned to Riviera on Friday morning.
Niemann still had the memory of his opening round 63. He started eaglebirdie, and continued on until he hit another 63 to break the Genesis Invitational 36-hole record.
It only gave him a two-shot advantage going into the weekend. Niemann needed to let the gas pedal down for a quartet major champions.
Niemann was 16-under 126. This broke the previous record by Cameron Young (24-year-old PGA Tour rookie) who birdied his final four holes for a 62. Niemann was at least given company by Young at 128,
The previous mark was 130 by four players before Friday, most recently by Sam Burns last season.
Justin Thomas, a former PGA champion, said that he would have expected to shoot 11 under. He was five shots behind Justin Thomas. “But there is still a lot more golf.”
Two-time Riviera winner Adam Scott was among those who played early as Niemann, Young and others. He was 9-under 133, and felt that he was doing everything right. He needs to play seven more shots before he can go into the weekend.
“I have a lot of ground to cover. Scott stated that it’s not as though Scott is even close to the finish line at the moment.
Niemann, a 23-year-old Chilean from Chile who is at home on Sunset Boulevard, deserves to be praised.
Niemann stated, “We got it moving pretty well at the start.” “I love the way I handled my self out there.”
Even with the warmth of the sun and very little wind, this was not the expected result. Riviera has stood up to the best — and all of the world’s top players are here this week — for longer than any other PGA Tour event.
Lanny Wadkins, at 20-under 264 and 72 holes, set the 72-hole record in 1985. It’s the longest such record of its kind on the PGA Tour. Wadkins might need to get moving.
Niemann is still being pursued by some, but no one can concede.
Thomas stated, “I just keep doing the same thing and I have a pretty good feeling that I’ll be fine.” It’s all… It’s just…
Jordan Spieth made the last hole, his only bogey of a round of 67. He tied Scott. British Open champion Collin Morikawa shot a 67, eight ahead.
“I believe it’s still possible. “I’ve got to play hole-by-hole, shot by shot, and see what happens for round three and four,” Morikawa stated.
Niemann was close to the pin Thursday, with all nine of his birdies within 10 feet. Friday saw four birdies from 15 feet and longer, one 40-footer on Saturday.
All 10 of the top 10 players in the world were represented, as well as 19 of the top 25, in the field. Dustin Johnson was not the only one who will be there, as he had to play bogey-free on his last nine holes to get to 71.
Johnson was the last player who challenged Wadkins’ scoring record. He held a huge lead in 2017, so he was cautious at the end. He didn’t even know the record and didn’t care.
Patrick Cantlay had a mathematical chance of reaching No. Patrick Cantlay, who had a mathematical chance to reach No. 1 by winning, had two birdies to save his round for the second consecutive day. He shot 72, and made it to the cut with just one shot.
The cut was made at even-par, 142. The gap of 16 shots between top and bottom was the biggest since the 2019 PGA Championship held at Bethpage Black, when Brooks Koepka led by seven shots going into the weekend.
Young prevented this from becoming an early runaway. Young already had a strong start in his first season, finishing second at Sanderson Farms last autumn.
He had a great round and finished with four straight birdies. They were all within 10 feet. Some of them involved difficult pins. His 1-foot birdie putt on hole 9 was the easiest of his 62.
The No. 8 has a split fairway that is divided by the barranca. Young was at the tee and, while he did draw a good lie, he still hoped for the best. It reached 8 feet near the pin.
Young stated that it takes a lot of luck for something to go the right way. “But it did today.”
Viktor Hovland scored 64, while staying true to his U.S. strategy. Amateur at Riviera 2017 taking it very well on No. 15 to the 17th fairway. He didn’t hit his second shot any closer to 60 feet, but he did make par.
Hovland was 7-under 135, with Russell Knox at 67.
