Ugly win may be just what Fowler’s career needs

AVONDALE, La. – New Orleans is known for fun and frivolity and for a handful of PGA TOUR stars the laid-back attitude is proving exactly what the doctor ordered to potentially rescue flagging seasons. It’s quite incredible considering the difficulty usually associated with Foursomes or alternate shot golf as it is also known. While Michael Putnam has found some form of late his partner Michael Kim has just one top 25 in 15 starts and sits 171st in the FedExCup. So for Kim to be part of a duo at 13 under par and holding a one-shot lead through 36 holes at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans is welcome to say the least. Chad Campbell is a four-time winner on the PGA TOUR including wins at big name stops like the TOUR Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard. But he hasn’t won in over 10 years and he sits 180th in the FedExCup with his best result in 15 starts this season being 31st. His partner, former Houston Open winner Matt Jones, sits 185th in the FedExCup this season without a top 25 finish from 11 starts. Campbell and Jones both described their season so far as “poorâ€� with “terribleâ€� results. So how have they forced their way to 11 under through two rounds to be just two back of the lead? “I think we just believe in each other. We’re both relaxed out there and very confident. If one of us hits a bad shot the other one can recover from it,â€� Campbell said. “Golf is a crazy game. Never know when it’s going to turn around.â€� Rob Oppenheim is 163rd in the FedExCup with just one top 25 this season, back in October last year. His partner Nate Lashley is 161st on the points list also with just one top-25 finish. Of course, that translates to them sitting tied third at 11 under. A shot further back from them at 10 under sits the partnership of Cody Gribble and John Peterson. Gribble has missed seven straight cuts and a T32 last October is his best season finish so far leaving him 189th in the FedExCup. He admits he’s a “streaky playerâ€� but felt this sort of golf wasn’t far off. “I’ve been on a little cold streak for a while but I’m hitting the ball so much better and I’ve put a lot of work in the game and I’m finally starting to see some results,â€� he said. Petersen is coming back from a major medical but in his four starts a T47 best at the Sony Open is his peak. He’s 214th in the FedExCup standings needing 240 points in his next four starts to gain his card. But with a new baby at home he’s not grinding over results – he’s actually quite content to take up a commercial real estate career and hang up the clubs should things not work out post his wrist injury. “I’ve been fine for about eight months now. Just haven’t played like it. My wrist is fine. I don’t have the range of mobility as I used to, but it doesn’t hurt. That’s really the only thing that mattered,â€� Peterson said. “I enjoy my time at home much more than I do my time out here; it’s not frustrating for me to miss a cut. If I make it great, if not, I’m not going to keep playing.â€� NOTABLES Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown continue to put themselves in a great position to make up for last year’s playoff loss. A solid 2-under 70 left the pair at 12 under and just one shot off the lead. Patrick Reed and Patrick Cantlay’s putting was as black as their matching outfits at times but red hot at others on Friday leaving them with five birdies but four bogeys and a 71. At 8 under they are close enough to make a charge. Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar rebounded from an average Thursday to put up the round of the day Friday. Their 5-under 67 included slapping each other in the face numerous times. See more here. Overnight co-leaders Chez Reavie and Lucas Glover plus Chinese duo Xinjun Zhang and Zecheng Dou struggled with the switch to alternate shot. Reavie and Glover shot 75 but remain close enough at 9 under while Zhang and Dou imploded with an 80 to miss the cut. Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, the gold and silver medal winners from the Rio Olympics, are lurking at 8 under just five-shots back. “I think we’ve done some good things out there. Don’t think we’ve had our run yet. Haven’t made any putts; we haven’t chipped in; we haven’t had a long putt fall for us; we had five bogeys,â€� Rose said. “So to be 8 under with all that going on… if we can clean all that up and get a little bit of luck and a run going on the weekend, I think we can mount a charge.â€� They are joined at 8 under by fellow European duo of Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell. Jordan Spieth and Ryan Palmer were sailing along solidly until Spieth found water off the tee on the 17th hole and again on approach on the 18th hole. He then left a shot in a greenside bunker – from a plugged lie – for the team to finish double bogey, double bogey and miss the cut by a shot. Read more here. RoundUp: Brooks Koepka missed the cut in his return to golf from a wrist injury unable to get enough help from Marc Turnesa; Jon Rahm and Wesley Bryan won’t be around for weekend hospitality after struggling Friday; defending champions Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt finished with back-to-back double bogeys to crash out of the tournament; Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello failed to go low enough to stick around; FedExCup leader Justin Thomas and Bud Cauley went under par but were unable to make up enough ground from a poor Thursday and Jim Furyk and David Duval could not keep the mojo going from Thursday, missing the weekend by a shot. QUOTABLES If we ever make an eagle it’s a double slap.I probably hit it into places Andrew never seen before. Birdies are what’s going to count tomorrow.It’s been my ring tone for three years.I left my shoe on, so they couldn’t smell my skin. SUPERLATIVES Low Round: 5-under 67 – Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar. Easiest Hole: Par-5 7th played at 4.675 with an eagle and 33 birdies. Hardest Hole: Par-3 17th played to a 3.588 average with seven double bogeys and five others. Incredibly Billy Hurley III made an ace from 223 yards with a 5-iron. Best Shots: Hurley’s above ace is tied with Chris Paisley making a hole-in-one of his own on the 3rd hole from 221 yards. CALL OF THE DAY For play-by-play coverage of Round 3, listen from 1-6 p.m. ET Saturday on PGATOUR.COM. SHOT OF THE DAY

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Phil Mickelson picked for Presidents Cup team

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It’s been more than four years since Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson has hoisted a trophy, and he enters the final round at the Safeway Open only four back of rookie Tyler Duncan. Can the rookie hold on in Napa Valley? Final round tee times Final round leaderboard HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN Telecast: Golf Channel (5:30 – 8:30 p.m. ET)         PGA TOUR Radio: Listen Free (4 – 9 p.m. ET) NOTABLE PAIRINGS Robert Garrigus, Stephan Jaeger, John Daly 2:50 p.m. ET off 10th tee Tony Finau, Nick Taylor, Jason Kokrak 3 p.m. ET off 1st tee Phil Mickelson, Andrew Putnam, Bill Haas 3:10 p.m. ET off 1st tee Kelly Kraft, Smylie Kaufman, Beau Hossler 3:10 p.m. ET off 10th tee Brendan Steele, Emiliano Grillo, Graham DeLaet 3:20 p.m. ET off 1st tee Tyler Duncan, Chesson Hadley, Bud Cauley 3:30 p.m. ET off 1st tee

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