Zac Blair, professional since 2014, player of the PGA Tour since 2015 and with no less than 184 tournaments on the circuit under his belt, a veteran, along with Patrick Fishburn, a rookie making his debut this season on the tour, have put everyone in line at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans after an epic Saturday. They were one stroke short of matching the tournament’s 18-hole record, set by Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in the first round of the tournament in 2022. But with their 60 today, they have automatically become the main favourites for victory.
As we commented yesterday, the return of the fourballs on this ‘moving day’ could lead to significant comebacks and bring into the fight pairs that, after the first 36 holes, were not among the candidates for victory. And so it has been with these two Americans, who are seeking their first victory on the circuit. Blair still doesn’t know what it’s like to win, although he has accumulated more than six million dollars in prizes over these years (a tied second place in the Travelers Championship of 2023 is his best result), and Fishburn seeks to add his name to that of Pavon and Knapp among the ‘rookies’ who have won a title this season on the circuit.
Their recital today has included ten birdies and an eagle, without fault, to climb 10 positions and, with a cumulative result of 23 strokes under par, take command with one advantage over Luke List and Henrik Norlander (-22) and two over Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard (-22) and over Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry (-22), who made a full house on the par fives, but could not match their birdie production from the first round. In total, eight pairs within three strokes that, despite the return of the foursomes (alternate shots) mode tomorrow, with less scandalous results, will keep the excitement until the end for the victory.
Teamwork makes the dream work!
After Shane Lowry's ball found the water, @McIlroyRory stepped up to the plate with a clutch birdie @Zurich_Classic. pic.twitter.com/cgsibgJpsl
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 27, 2024
A fight in which, unfortunately, Jorge Campillo and Vincent Norrman (-15) have not been able to get involved. The Spaniard closed yesterday’s second round with a sensational six-meter putt to make the cut and started today in the best possible way, sinking a chip for birdie from outside the green on hole 1. However, he has not been able to contribute as he would have liked to his Swedish partner’s game, who has carried the weight for the vast majority of the ‘moving day’. Their 65, with nine birdies and two bogeys, seems insufficient and has made them drop a couple of positions to the 34th place.
