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CROMWELL, Conn. – Notes and observations from Friday’s second round of the Travelers Championship, where Jordan Spieth shot a 1-under 69 to get to 8 under par and in pole position for his second PGA TOUR victory of the season and 11th overall. Troy Merritt (68) and Patrick Reed (66) were at 7 under, while Wesley Bryan (67) was part of a quartet of players two back. For more coverage from TPC River Highlands, click here for the Daily Wrap-up. SPIETH LIMITS DAMAGE Jordan Spieth knew it might be difficult to follow up the best opening round of his young TOUR career, and it was. Not as sharp Friday as he was the day before (63), he still broke 70 at TPC River Highlands and managed to hang onto the lead by himself. For his “badâ€� round, it was pretty good. “I feel like I can control my own destiny on the weekend,â€� said Spieth, whose four birdies covered up a bogey and a double-bogey 7 at the 13th hole. “I’ve been kind of far behind in a lot of the events in making a comeback run, but being able to be toward the front of the pack on a Saturday afternoon is a beautiful position to be in, and one that we’ll certainly embrace.â€� Spieth is a first-timer at the Travelers, but it hasn’t taken him long to figure the place out. The course is short (6,841 yards), but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. “It’s tricked out elsewhere,â€� he said after hitting just 12 greens in regulation, three fewer than on day one. “And being very patient on the weekend is key. I always mention that, that’s always the word. I try to tell myself that, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.â€� Spieth took 29 putts, two more than he had in the first round. His double at the 13th was the result of pulling his drive out of bounds left. “One bad swing,â€� he said. “Otherwise it was a pretty solid round.â€� Playing partner Wesley Bryan (67, 6 under) sounded duly impressed. “Jordan’s hitting his driver great right now,â€� Bryan said. “I’m just thinking, man, if I could be playing from where he’s hitting some of these tee shots, it could play a lot easier.â€� SEIFFERT SEEKS SEMINOLE TRIFECTA Chase Seiffert, 25, is older than Daniel Berger and younger than Brooks Koepka, but all three played for Florida State, and all three have made news lately. First came Berger, who picked up his second PGA TOUR victory when he successfully defended his title at the FedEx St. Jude Classic two weeks ago. Then Koepka won the U.S. Open at Erin Hills last week. Now Seiffert—pronounced SEE-fert—is 6 under par and in a three-way tie for fourth, just two shots off the lead after posting a 4-under 66 Friday. “We’ve been talking all week about three straight Seminoles winning,â€� Seiffert said after a round that featured eagles at the par-4 third hole and the par-5 13th. “It’d be pretty cool.â€� Almost as cool would be if Seiffert were to play well on the weekend to give himself some sort of status for the remainder of this season. He Monday-qualified for the Travelers, his 67 at Ellington Ridge Country Club sharing medalist honors and marking the second time he has successfully Monday-qualified into a TOUR event this season (RSM Classic, T74). It’s not an easy life. “If it’s inside 10 hours I’ll drive,â€� Seiffert said of his Monday routine, which requires copious travel with zero job security. “Anything longer than that I’ll fly. I don’t want to ruin my back. I carry my own bag; it’s a lightweight carry bag. Although I did carry my staff bag once to Monday-qualify into a Web event. People looked at me funny.â€� Seiffert’s girlfriend and his mom went all 18 holes with him Friday, despite the stifling heat and humidity, and the fact that his mom, Stephanie Bagshaw, wears a brace on her left knee. “We made the weekend!â€� she said afterward. For Seiffert, it’s just a start; he needs to do more to leave those Monday qualifiers behind. “I came in the week with no status on any tour,â€� he said. “I knew my game was really good, and good enough to even be out here. I just had to get it done. I played well on Monday, and to come out and play the first two rounds like I did, it gives me a lot of confidence.â€� “… It’s definitely pressure just because I know what’s at stake. A good week, and I could maybe get a card or something like that, so there’s definitely pressure in that regard.â€� CALL OF THE DAY LAHIRI AT PEACE BEFORE, AFTER 63 Three weeks ago Anirban Lahiri tied for second at the Memorial Tournament Presented by Nationwide, which got him up to 44th in the FedExCup standings and 15th in the race to make his second Presidents Cup team—a goal that’s been on his mind all year. What has he been doing since then? Quieting his mind at the Vipassana Meditation Center in Shelburne Falls, Massahusetts, about 90 minutes north of TPC River Highlands. “It was just coincidence that that center was there,â€� Lahiri said after his round, which featured five birdies, an eagle and no bogeys. “I’ve done this course three times back home in India starting in 2004. So, I’ve been doing this for 13 years. It’s something that’s very close to me. “You go to the center for ten days, you switch your phones off. There is no TV, you’re not allowed to read. You’re meditating. You’re not allowed to talk. So, there is like complete silence for nine and a half days or so, and you’re meditating 10, 12 hours a day. It’s not just a walk in the park. You’re actually doing work, and working on improving yourself.â€� Lahiri, 29, has long heard he is too hard on himself—from his coach, his wife, his parents, and everyone else who knows him. But it’s not that easy. “I always believe unless I’m critical of myself, I can’t improve,â€� he said. “But it’s a fine line.â€� He has done a lot already to be the best player from India, but he’s not yet where he wants to be. At 66th in the Official World Golf Ranking, he’s still trying to get into the top 50 to punch his ticket to next month’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Nothing seemed to go right in his opening-round 73 at the Travelers, but his 63 got him to 4 under total, just four back. Was it the meditation? He says he doesn’t do it for golf, but it helps, nonetheless. “If you’re in a better place mentally overall, it will translate into everything,â€� Lahiri said.“Whether it’s work or sport or home or relationships, whatever it is. I mean, if you’re a happy person, or if you’re in a place where you’re at peace, it translates into everything.â€� ODDS AND ENDS A year after he made the cut on the number only to shoot a PGA TOUR record 58 in the final round of the Travelers, Jim Furyk is in much better position going into the weekend. He fired a 2-under 68 Friday to get to 5 under overall, three off the lead. “It’s been good,â€� Furyk said. “It’s been like coming back to a place where you’ve won in the past.â€� … When Jason Day, 45th in the FedExCup standings, missed a six-foot par putt on 18, it appeared that he had finished 1 over par and would miss the cut by a shot. As it turned out, he signed for a par 4 instead of the birdie he made at the fourth hole, and had to accept the higher score. His second-round 70 meant he missed the cut by two, not one. … Rory McIlroy’s right foot slipped on his approach shot to the 18th green, where he bogeyed for a second-round 73 to fall back to even par. He made the cut on the number. … Troy Merritt (68, 7 under par, one back) switched to a new Odyssey Putter for THE PLAYERS Championship last month. It didn’t immediately pay dividends. “I didn’t make any putts there,â€� he said after making over 200 feet of putts in the first two rounds at TPC River Highlands. “When I went back home for three weeks, I changed my routine a little bit. Get over the ball, no practice strokes. Just find my line and hit it. A little bit more reaction versus standing over the ball for a long time. It’s finally starting to feel a lot more comfortable now.â€� … Wesley Bryan seemed to be committing himself to the Travelers for the long term after shooting a second-round 67 to get to 6 under, just two behind playing partner Spieth. “I love this place,â€� Bryan said. “It’s going to be one of those stops that’s going to be hard for me not to put on the schedule moving forward. The golf course fits my eye.â€�  SHOT OF THE DAY BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – PGA National is one of the most stressful courses on the PGA TOUR. Penalty strokes can add up quickly on its water-lined holes. That’s why Lee Westwood’s new mindset is such an asset this week. Westwood is having fun while other players are fretting about double-bogeys. The former World No. 1 said the game has never been more enjoyable, and that’s a big reason why he’s enjoying a career renaissance at age 46. His good form is continuing this week. Westwood, who’s competing this week on a sponsor exemption, is tied for second place at The Honda Classic’s halfway mark after shooting 67-69 in the first two rounds. Only four players have parlayed sponsor exemptions into PGA TOUR victories in the past decade, but Westwood is looking to do it for a second time. Ten years ago, he won the FedEx St. Jude Classic after receiving an invitation into the field. Westwood isn’t a charity case, though. He’s back among the game’s elite after winning the European Tour’s event in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. Beating that star-studded field moved him back into the top 50 of the world ranking. He’s currently the world’s 30th-ranked player. “I’m not sure it’s ever been this enjoyable,â€� Westwood said. “You know, I’ve always almost treated it too seriously. It’s nice to go out there and not really care. I’ve been working quite hard with a psychologist, and he’s given me a different appreciation for golf and life, really.â€� It takes more than happy thoughts to succeed at The Honda Classic, though. Westwood’s strong ball-striking is perfectly suited for this week’s layout. He’s missed just six fairways this week, ranking in the top 10 in driving accuracy and Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. A hot putter has helped, as well. He’s gained more than four strokes on the greens. Westood, who’s one behind 36-hole leader Brendan Steele, will play in Saturday’s second-to-last group with a countryman who’d like to experience a similar resurgence. In 2011, Luke Donald took the top spot in the world ranking from Westwood. Donald is now 456th in the ranking and had to use a career money list exemption to compete this season. He’s struggled with injuries in recent years, competing just 21 times in the previous two seasons. He’s had just one top-25 in that span. A 66 on Friday also has Donald at 4 under par, one behind Steele. Donald had three 2s on his scorecard, including birdies on both par-3s in the Bear Trap. ‘A back injury at 40 years old, you can lose a bit of momentum,â€� Donald said. “You know, just not being out there, getting the reps in with the competitive feelings, it takes some time to get that back. Obviously confidence breeds confidence, and you need to keep kind of plugging away and getting yourself into position to really help for future times you’re in position. “Lee has obviously proven that age is just a number. He’s been playing great lately. … Just seeing those guys continue to grind and continue to fight and do well, it’s nice to see and certainly it motivates me.â€�

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Ben Hogan and Sam Snead were both in their early 50s when they faced off in May 1964 at Houston Country Club in an edition of Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf. This was hardly a match between two aging stars whose better days were behind them, though. The match has gained a cult following over the years, and not only because it is a rare opportunity to get an extended look at two of the greatest swings in the game’s history. Though only an exhibition, Hogan turned in one of the greatest rounds of his career, a ball-striking performance that displayed his mastery of the golf swing. Related: Free historical content available on PGA TOUR LIVE | Golf in these times “That’s about as good as I can play,â€� said Hogan, who was 51 at the time. Gene Sarazen, one of five men to achieve the career Grand Slam, called it “the finest round of golf that has been played in my lifetime.â€� Sarazen saw it firsthand while providing on-air commentary for the match. You can now watch that round, originally aired in 1965, free on PGA TOUR LIVE. During the coronavirus pandemic, the PGA TOUR is making PGA TOUR LIVE free and available for streaming. New content is being added each week, and the Hogan-Snead match is among this week’s highlights. Currently the free content is limited to those in the U.S. To sign up for free and get started, click here. This Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf was just the fourth time that Hogan and Snead, whose swings are still admired and analyzed by players and instructors, met in a head-to-head match. The first came in San Francisco in 1941. Snead shot 66 to Hogan’s 68. Then there was a playoff at the 1950 Los Angeles Open. It was Hogan’s first event after the car accident that nearly ended his life, but Snead spoiled the fairytale storyline by winning their playoff, 72-76 (Hogan would win the U.S. Open at Merion later that year). Then they met in a playoff at the 1954 Masters. Hogan was trying to become the first player to win back-to-back Masters, but Snead squeaked by him, winning their playoff, 70-71. Two years before their match, Snead wrote in a book, “All I know is that it’s true that Hogan and (Byron) Nelson won plenty of tournaments which I didn’t, but any time Hogan and I met in a head-to-head playoff, I won. We met three times over the years when we were rivals. The score reads: Snead 3, Hogan 0.” Hogan was unbeatable during this made-for-TV match, however. His play from tee-to-green was flawless. The Sports Illustrated report of the match states that Hogan “never hit a shot more than 10 feet off the line of flight he intended it to travel. He never once hit the ball into the rough or a hazard. On all 18 greens, he was putting for either a birdie or an eagle. “If someone like Arnold Palmer or Billy Casper had been putting for him, he might well have scored in the 50s.â€� There are two more exhibitions that are currently available on PGA TOUR LIVE that are now available for free: • Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf, Ben Crenshaw vs. Tom Kite (1996): The two boyhood friends became major champions and World Golf Hall of Fame members. Like Hogan and Snead, they met in Houston. This match was played at Champions Golf Club, which was founded by former Masters champions Jackie Burke Jr. and Jimmy Demaret. The club also has hosted the Ryder Cup, U.S. Open, TOUR Championship and U.S. Amateur. • MGM Resorts The Challenge: Japan Skins: Four of today’s stars from disparate corners of the globe gathered in Japan for this exhibition that preceded Tiger Woods’ record-tying 82nd PGA TOUR victory. This offers something different if you’ve already gorged yourself on old tournament action.

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