Daniel Berger put the rest of the field to shame Friday at the St. Jude Classic.
The 2015 Rookie of the Year on the PGA Tour, went out early and put up the round of the week at the TPC Southwind, a six-under par 64 that put him in command after 36 holes in Memphis.
Berger’s first round 67 and his sparkling round on Friday put him at nine-under par, four clear of an impressive trio — Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson. Koepka and Mickelson shot 65s.
Johnson was within a shot of Berger with two holes to play but imploded at the finish. After a bogey at 17, Johnson hit a perfect drive at the 18th. He had a short iron and pulled it a little, into the left fringe, just 20 feet from the hole. He blasted his first chip 10 feet past the hole then proceeded to three-putt from there to finish with 69.
Berger knew how to finish his round, two scrambling pars saved his day. “Just excited to play a bogey-free round,” he said afterward. “My speed control has been great,” he said of his putting. “Those par saves, I kinda got some momentum going into the weekend.”
Berger has been knocking at victory’s door and now he’ll be in a great position to get that win.
First round co-leaders Seung-Yul Noh and Shawn Stefani both took a step back. Noh’s 72 left him at three-under while Stefani was a shot better at four-under after a 71.
