Isaiah Salinda holed a late birdie putt as he and Kevin Velo secured a one-shot lead at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Friday at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La.
Salinda and Velo opened the team event with a 58, a tournament record for four-ball (best ball). Friday’s action was foursomes (alternate shot), and Salinda and Velo managed a 3-under-par 69 to hang on to the lead at 17-under 127.
Salinda is No. 163 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Velo is No. 363, and both rookies have yet to win on the PGA Tour.
“I think we played really to our strengths today,” Velo said. “We both missed a couple short ones that kind of led to our bogeys, but besides that, we played pretty flawless. We feed off each other really easily, and I know how to club off him, and we’re talking through shots out there, so we know exactly what we’re trying to do.”
They started on the back nine and went 1 over par before rolling in birdies at Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Salinda made a birdie from close to 12 feet away at No. 8 to break a tie with Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin.
Novak and Griffin turned in a 66 earlier in the day to get to 16 under. Danish twin brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard shot a 70 and sit in third at 15 under, with Jacob Bridgeman and Chandler Phillips another stroke back after a 68.
Novak and Griffin combined for seven birdies and just one bogey. After playing the back nine first, they poured in four birdie putts on the front nine, including Griffin’s 19 1/2-footer at the par-3 third hole and his 5-foot tap at the par-3 ninth.
“I couldn’t have had a better number for a 9-iron there,” Novak said of the tee shot at No. 9. “I wasn’t really planning on being super aggressive. Pin kind of near the water, but with the wind down and off the right with that pin, it was just a perfect 9, put it out there, let the wind bring it in, and (5) feet there.”
Defending champions Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Shane Lowry of Ireland were in contention before bogeys at Nos. 13, 17 and 18. They settled for a 69 and are tied for 16th at 11 under.
Only 36 out of 80 teams made the cut of 10 under or better. English brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick (9 under) won’t see the weekend.
World No. 4 Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama followed an opening-round 61 with a disastrous 75 and missed the cut at 8 under. They made two double bogeys over their final six holes, both triggered when Kitayama launched his drive into the water.
The third round Saturday returns to the four-ball format, and Sunday’s final round will be foursomes.
“I like our chances in alternate shot versus anyone in the field,” Salinda said. “Yeah, I think (Saturday) we just keep playing how we’re playing, set ourselves up for Sunday and give ourselves a shot, and I think alternate shot is kind of our strength.”
–Field Level Media
