In a tournament like the star-short Rocket Mortgage Classic 2020, a leaderboard full of compelling storylines and fun names to follow is not guaranteed. However, that’s exactly what we got after two rounds at the Detroit Golf Club.
Among the main arguments in round 3 is Chris Kirk, who lost a 65 on Friday to take the lead with Webb Simpson. He’s had a tough 18-month career (more on that below), but we could have a sweet ending to this chapter of his life with a few more days like Friday. It will also be chased by a group of great players and high-ranking youth who are trying to move up the world ranking.
Let’s take a look at Round 2 and how it prepares for what should be another great weekend.
S1 Chris Kirk (-12) – How good is this story? From alcohol rehab this time last year to a victory on the Korn Ferry Tour two weeks ago and a victory on the PGA Tour? That would be crazy and the story of the year so far on the PGA Tour. Kirk can also continue like this. It’s making him well so far, but he’s also hitting him. The statistical profile is sustainable, and I hope it will be maintained because it is a story worth supporting the weekend at the Detroit Golf Club.
S1 Webb Simpson (-12) – Webb Simpson, the best American player in the world. How it sounds? He is the type to beat after two rounds, and he still hasn’t found a hot putter (which is scary). He has been turned off with his irons and is about to jump to the top of the 2020 PGA Tour Player of the Year race.
S3 Matthew Wolff (-11) – There are no questions about the level of talent, but about your ability to keep it at a high level for four days, four weeks or four months at a time. He said his biggest fight this season has been in his head.
“I would say only maturity, only mentally,” said Wolff. “When I’m hitting well … I feel like I really cared too much about the result and I thought about every little factor in every shot, I’m not cut, if it was a little windy, I just want to hit it in the middle of the green to try to eliminate the bogeys. This really isn’t how I play. “Let’s hope we get more of how he played on Friday this weekend at Rocket Mortgage
T3 Bryson DeChambeau, Seamus Power, Mark Hubbard, Ryan Armor, Richy Werenski (-11) – Bryson had very similar days on Thursday and Friday. He started slow on his forehead nine on both days and set fire to the last nine (31 on Thursday, 32 on Friday). His iron game has been absolutely abysmal. It leads the field in the driving distance and somehow almost lasts close to the hole. Muscle mass has yet to enter his yard book, to be sure, and it seems that distance control is the biggest problem in his game. A hot flat stick is saving him, but he needs to squeeze it from 125 yards and inside if he wants to win this weekend.
S9 Kevin Kisner, Sepp Straka (-10) – Kisner will be a bear all weekend and it won’t be easy going out if he’s in the mix on Sunday afternoon. I often don’t see Kisner as someone about to win a shootout; It is better built for the Open Championships, nor would I want to be by your side with the event on the line on Sunday. You will need to keep a good hand on the greens (T14 so far) if you want to get your fourth win on the PGA Tour.
T20 Viktor Hovland (-8) – Couldn’t be getting worse or hitting him better. Third from the tee to the green, 97th in putting. That is a recipe for a 65-65 weekend and victory. Now the problem becomes to find out which former Oklahoma State Cowboy will endorse.
T55 Hideki Matsuyama (-5) – I was disappointed in how Matsuyama played this week. I thought he would have a great week, but he’s struggled more than you’d expect from tee to green. The putter is always risky (and it wasn’t very good on Thursday or Friday), but I thought we would get more out of the irons than we’ve got so far. Of course, it is also capable of going 64-64 to make things interesting on Sunday night.
CBS Sports was with you the entire time updating this story with the latest scores, updates, and highlights from the Rocket Mortgage Classic below. Check out live scores at the top of this story or a more detailed leaderboard.
