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SPORTS Saturday 28 September 2019
Bryson DeChambeau shoots 64 to take Safeway Open lead

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN feel comfortable like I did
Associated Press today, I’d come out and
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Bryson shoot a low number,” De-
DeChambeau hasn’t had Chambeau said.
much chance to get fa- Nick Watney was second
miliar with his wedge after after a 65. Watney needed
changing to a graphite just 22 putts to complete
shaft this week. his round and stay within
The Northern California na- range of DeChambeau.
tive certainly looked com- “(The greens) are getting
fortable enough Friday as a little bit crispy right now,
he attacked pin after pin to but they rolled pretty pure
surge up the leaderboard for me,” Watney said.
at the Safeway Open. Justin Thomas made nine
DeChambeau shot a bo- birdies and matched De-
gey-free 8-under 64 on Chambeau with a 64 that
Friday to take a two-shot left him tied with Nick Tay-
lead in the Safeway Open. lor (66), Dylan Frittelli (65),
DeChambeau had a Adam Long (68) and Cam-
12-under 132 total at Sil- eron Champ (68) at 9 un-
verado Country Club. der.
The 26-year-old matched First-round leaders Adam
two others for the best Scott and Andrew Landry
round of the day and was tumbled down the leader- Bryson DeChambeau follows his shot out of a bunker onto the 18th green of the Silverado Resort
in line to extend his lead, board. North Course during the first round of the Safeway Open PGA golf tournament Thursday, Sept. 26,
but left a 20-foot eagle Scott struggled off the tee 2019, in Napa, Calif.
putt short on No. 18. most of the afternoon and Associated Press
“It’s always fun to come shot a 73 to fall into tie for
out and play to the poten- 14th at 6 under.
tial you know you can,” Landry shot 74 and drop to
DeChambeau said. 5 under.
“The greens got a little A few big names won’t be
bumpy this afternoon but playing over the weekend.
they’re still rolling nice Phil Mickelson shot 69 but
enough to make some was doomed by an open-
putts. I was able to control ing 75 that included a qua-
my line, control my speed druple bogey.
and have a couple of Defending champion Kev-
them drop in.” in Tway bogeyed the final
DeChambeau missed the hole for a 72 to miss the cut
cut at the season-opening by a stroke.
event at The Greenbrier, “The way I see it, there were
didn’t play in last week’s eight par 5s and I’ve got to
Sanderson Farms Cham- play those 4 to 6 under par
pionship and got off to a to have a chance to win,”
slow start this week with an Mickelson said.
opening-round 68 that left “I played them 4 over. So
him four shots back. there’s eight to 10 shots
After beginning the sec- right there on simply the
ond round with four con- par 5s. It tells me that some
secutive pars, DeCham- areas are OK, but that’s
beau birdied No. 5, sank a the area that I’ve got to
35-footer for birdie on No. improve on.”
6, then had a tap in for an- Tony Romo, the former NFL
other birdie on No. 8. He quarterback and current
opened the back nine with CBS analyst, also missed
three straight birdies, made the cut, following an open-
another birdie on No. 14 ing 70 with a 78.
then closed with a final If he had made the cut, he
birdie on 18. planned to skip Sunday’s
“I knew if I could go work NFL broadcast in Chicago
on my swing like I did yes- between the Bears and
terday and come out and Minnesota Vikings.q