Koepka on career-worst 81 at API: ‘I’m a big boy; I can handle it’

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AVONDALE, La. — Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown might hold the lead heading to Sunday at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, but more than ever the lead is far from safe. Looking for redemption after last year’s playoff loss to Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt, the South Carolina duo sit at 20-under par — one clear of the Tony Finau/Daniel Summerhays and Andrew Putnam/Michael Kim teams. They provided a tidy 8-under 64 in Four-ball play on Saturday. But there are 17 teams within five shots of their lead heading to the always unpredictable and volatile alternate shot format. Anything can happen. We already saw this over the opening two rounds where the scoring average went from 65.888 to an incredible 73.863. The opening round leaders Xinjun Zhang and Zecheng Dou backed up a 60 with an 80 to miss the cut. “There is going to be a lot of big stress out there for some guys on that alternate shot,â€� five-time PGA TOUR winner Jason Dufner said. “You could see it Friday, cut day.â€� But Kisner and Brown almost feel immune as they’ve known each other for decades. “We’ve been doing this for 20 years,” Kisner said. “We know each other pretty well. I think that’s why we gel so well together. “He knows I’m not going to be upset if he’s playing bad, or if I hit a bad shot he’s not going to be upset at me. What did they tell us, your bad shots are the other person’s problem, so have fun.â€� Dufner, who along with Pat Perez are one of the teams chasing the leaders, believes the three shots they have to make up could happen in a flash. They were one of the teams to battle on Friday, shooting even par. Of the top 13 teams on the leaderboard heading to Sunday, only Putnam and Kim broke 70 on Friday. “I’m sure there will be a little pressure, but we’ll be relying on each other, and hopefully have a good time there tomorrow,â€� Kim said. “I think we just got to keep our heads down and keep grinding. We’re both playing pretty good golf, so just shoot the best score we can,â€� Putnam added as they chase a maiden TOUR win. For Finau and Summerhays, the key to this week has been relying on their already great chemistry and not getting in each other’s way. “Last year we were kind of all up in each other’s space. Hey, come read this putt. Let’s read together. What do you think here?â€� Summerhays explained. “This year we’ve just completely backed off everything. I called Tony in to read one putt yesterday and that’s basically it. “It’s the underlying trust, right? He’s trying his darnedest to get me in a good spot. I think that’s the great thing about having a close friend. We’ve played so much golf together. There isn’t any of that judgment. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. I think it’s going to be difficult, but that’s what we do.â€� NOTABLES Jason Dufner and Pat Perez looked dangerous just three shots off the lead. The pair shot 61 on Saturday to rocket into contention. “Everybody is going to have six or seven birdies and probably no bogeys if they’re playing well,” Dufner said. “So just to get those extra couple long ones to drop, I think that was a big key today.” There are a bunch of international teams lurking at 16 under in a tie for eighth looking to keep America off the winners list since moving to a team format. South African Presidents Cup players Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, countrymen Retief Goosen and Tyrone Van Aswegen, Scotsman Martin Laird and Russell Knox plus Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Chris Paisley are all ready to pounce. Olympic Gold and Silver medal winners Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson are an outside chance at 15-under, five shots off the pace. Jason Day and Ryan Ruffels started hot on Saturday and looked like they could make a huge charge. However a double bogey on the ninth hole derailed their run, and they now sit near the back of the pack at 11-under. It was a rough day for Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson as they sat just one under through 13 holes. Three late birdies added some respectability to the score, but at 13-under and seven shots back they’ll need to go super low Sunday. Denny McCarthy and Joel Dahmen were the last partnership entered this week after Martin Pillar withdrew to be at the birth of his first child. The WD sent Dahmen into a duo with McCarthy and the pair shot 62 Saturday to have an outside chance at 15-under. QUOTABLES I was the horse and he was the jockey. When I got tired he decided to kick in the whip, and he kicked in the whip on himself.When you have hair like this you can pull it off.I had to kind of hold my laugh in while they were hitting. SUPERLATIVES Low Round: 11-under 61 – Three teams: Billy Horschel/Scott Piercy; Jason Dufner/Pat Perez; Brice Garnett/Chesson Hadley. Easiest Holes: Par-5 7th played at 4.250 as did the par-5 11th.  Each had two eagles and 23 birdies. Hardest Hole: Par-4 15th played exactly to par with five birdies and five bogeys.

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Corey Conners may have challenged for a PGA TOUR title less than two weeks ago, but he had to earn his spot in this week’s Mayakoba Golf Classic the hard way. Conners shot 65 on Monday to qualify for the TOUR stop in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Eight days ago, Conners challenged Cameron Champ on the Sanderson Farms Championship’s final nine. Conners started Sunday four shots behind Champ, but caught him with a front-nine 33 and matched his birdie at the par-3 13th. He could only watch as Champ birdied four of the next five holes, as well. Conners, who got married the week before the Sanderson, has conditional status this season after finishing 130th in the FedExCup. His runner-up finish at the Sanderson was the best of his career. He is 23rd in this season’s standings. Conners has already had success when playing in a TOUR event after participating in the qualifier. He held the 54-hole lead at the Valspar Championship after participating in the Monday qualifier. Conners was in the middle of his qualifying round when he learned that he got in the Valspar as an alternate. He held the 54-hole lead at Innisbrook before fading to 16th after a final-round 77. COREY CONNERS (65) Age: 26 Hometown: Listowel, Ontario, Canada Alma mater: Kent State PGA TOUR starts: 41 Cuts made: 22 Best finish: 2nd, 2018 Sanderson Farms Championship Notes: Runner-up to Cameron Champ at the Sanderson Farms Championship was the second top-10 of his career. … 23rd in this season’s FedExCup standings. … Has conditional status after finishing 130th in last season’s FedExCup. … Runner-up in the 2014 U.S. Amateur after reaching the semifinals the previous year. BRAD ADAMONIS (66) Age: 45 Hometown: Cumberland, R.I. Alma mater: Miami (Ohio) PGA TOUR starts: 70 Cuts made: 28 Best finish: 2nd, 2008 John Deere Classic Notes: Earned his first TOUR card in 2008 at age 35. … Had an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the 2008 John Deere Classic, but missed to fall into a playoff with Kenny Perry and Jay Williamson. … Perry won with a par after Adamonis and Williamson hit their approach shots into the water on the first playoff hole. … Three of Adamonis’ four career top-10s came in his rookie season. … This will be his 10th TOUR start since losing his card after the 2009 season. … Has one Web.com Tour win, at the 2007 WNB Golf Classic. MATT HUTCHINS (66) Age: 21 Hometown: Sudbury, Mass. Alma mater: Chico State/UCLA PGA TOUR starts: Debut Notes: Won the Maine Match Play and Maine Amateur in 2016. … Advanced to Round of 16 in 2018 North & South Amateur. EAMONN McLOUGHLIN (66) Age: 34 Hometown: Naples, Fla. Alma mater: Virginia PGA TOUR starts: 1 Cuts made: 0 Best finish: MC, 2009 Puerto Rico Open THIS SEASON’S QUALIFIERS Qualifiers: 12 Made cut: 6 Best finish: T4, Aaron Baddeley (Safeway Open) Top-10s: 1 Top-25s: 2 SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN QUALIFIERS T36. George Cunningham, 70-67-71-66 MC. Doug Ghim, 72-68 MC. Rob Oppenheim, 73-70 MC. Cole Nygren, 76-68

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