DETROIT – Taylor Pendrith fractured his fifth rib on the left side while hitting golf balls in March.
“I noticed it at the Players during the third round, just some pain in kind of my back,” he said.
He spent 12 weeks mostly sitting on the couch, watching the NHL Playoffs, and helping his wife decorate their new home. Not much one can do other than sit and let one’s ribs heal.
“I guess it fueled me a little bit to get back and play well,” Pendrith said.
The 31-year-old rookie Canadian is doing just that. In just his third start since the injury, Pendrith is the 36-hole leader at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He followed up his opening-round 64 with a birdie-binge out of the gate. Birdies at his first four holes lifted him ahead of overnight-co-leader Tony Finau, and Pendrith signed for 65 and a tournament record 36-hole total of 15-under 129, a stroke ahead of Finau.
“If you can get it in the fairways here, you can kind of attack,” said Pendrith, who finished T-13 and T-11 in his first two starts back from injury and is seeking his first Tour title.
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Finau feasting again
Tony Finau hits his tee shot on the par 3 ninth hole during the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Finau keeps feasting
Tony Finau is in the zone.
One week after winning the 3M Open, he’s just one shot off the lead after posting a bogey-free 6-under 66 at Detroit Golf Club on Friday. The last player to win in back-to-back weeks during the FedEx Cup regular season? Brendon Todd in 2019.
Finau hasn’t made a bogey through 36 holes and has carded just two bogeys in his last 107 holes on Tour. He’s an eye-popping 32-under during that stretch. How’s he doing it?
“I’m just kind of bearing the fruit of the labor I’ve had throughout this season and it’s coming together for me late in the season,” he said. “But this thing, this game has taught me it doesn’t matter when it comes. If you continue to work hard, at some point I think you can go on some nice stretches and I think that’s what I’m seeing this week and last week.”
Oh to be Young again
Cameron Young (middle) shakes hands with Will Zalatoris (left) on the ninth green during the second round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
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