Colt Knost ties course record at Players Championship after three-putt on 18
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Just 43 feet stood between Colt Knost and history Friday in the second round of The Players Championship.
Only 90 yards stood in Rory McIlroy’s way.
Knost was on the last hole of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, 10 under for the day, needing one putt to shoot 61 and two putts to shoot 62. Either would have given him the course record.
He three-putted.
The disappointing finish — his first putt came up 5 feet short and his second putt burned the edge — left him with a share of the course record at 9-under-par 63 during another morning featuring soft greens and little wind.
World No. 1 Jason Day equaled the course record in Thursday’s first round. Also holding a share are Fred Couples (1992), Greg Norman (1994), Roberto Castro (2013) and Martin Kaymer (2014).
Jason Day fires round of 63 at Players Championship
“I was nervous over the last putt because so many great players have played this golf course and to be the first and only one to shoot 10 under would have been really cool,” Knost said. “I hit a pretty good putt, honestly, just kind of misread it a little bit and it hit the left lip.”
McIlroy, the world No. 3, was a tad disappointed, as well, despite shooting 64. He was 7 under through his first 7 holes after starting on the 10th — he birdied his first four holes and then the 15th before knocking in a 50-footer for eagle on the 16th. With two more birdies on the front nine, he was 9 under and standing 90 yards from the flag on the par-5 9th hole, his last for the day.
An up-and-down would deliver the course record. Unfortunately, McIlroy came up well short with his approach, then could only advance his next shot from a tough lie eight yards ahead and to the right. From there he two-putted for a bogey 6 and a 64.
“Look, you know that a few guys have shot 63 here, it would have been nice to shoot 62,” McIlroy said. “ … So, yeah, I’m disappointed. I'm frustrated. It should have been a couple better. Instead of being two behind the lead, I feel like I should be tied for the lead.
“ … I knew that the course was going to play much easier than it did yesterday afternoon. This course really does play so much differently from morning to afternoon. You have seen what the guys did yesterday morning, you've seen what a few of the guys did this morning, you can almost feel it as the day goes on, as your round progresses in the morning."
Jonas Blixt and Alex Cejka each have shot 67-67 to reach 10 under and share the lead midway through the second round. Knost and Boo Weekley (69) are one shot back, as is Day, who is playing in the afternoon wave.
McIlroy is two back with Zach Johnson (69).
Knost, 30, who won the 2007 U.S. Amateur but has yet to capture a PGA Tour title, made four consecutive birdies starting at the fifth and then made four birdies in five holes starting at the 11th. He rolled in a 15-footer for birdie on the treacherous island green at 17 to get to 10 under.
Knost needed 27 putts. Unfortunately the last three came on the 18th green.
“There was a thought I could do something nobody's ever done here,” Knost said. “ … I took advantage of some great conditions out there. Second day in a row in the morning there's been no wind. Greens were a lot softer than I kind of expected them to be, and just struck my irons great. I mean, I drove it pretty good like I normally do, but I hit 18 greens today. You do that around here, you're going to shoot a good number.”
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