CROMWELL, Connecticut — Keegan Bradley and Denny McCarthy shared the Travelers’ Championship lead Friday in a tournament record 15-under 125.
McCarthy followed up with his first innings of 60 with a score of 65 in the morning at TPC River Highlands. A few hours later, Bradley shot a 63 to go with his opening 62.
Chez Reavie, the 2019 winner, had two runs batted back after his 63. Eric Cole had a 65 for 11 under.
McCarthy and Bradley eclipsed the 36-hole mark of 14 set by Justin Rose in 2010 and matched last year by Xander Schauffele on his run to the title.
“It’s a nice thing,” McCarthy said, “but golf tournaments aren’t 36 holes, unfortunately.” “I know there are still a lot of golf courses and I’m playing some really great golf, so I’m looking forward to having fun this weekend.”
The 30-year-old from Maryland started slowly, paring the second hole. But these were the only blemishes on a tour that included six sparrows, five on the back of nine.
McCarthy, who lost in a playoff at the Memorial this month, is trying to become the 18th player to claim his first win on the PGA Tour in Connecticut. The last Ken Duke was in 2013.
Bradley also had a sore nine back, making five consecutive birdies between the 12th and 16th holes. He had approximately 174 feet of putt made, and after each big putt, he would hold his putter two fingers in front of him and bow before handing it to the caddy.
“We just pay our respects,” said this Vermont native, who dug about 60 feet into third for his first birdie Friday. “If the racket’s working, we’ll do anything just to keep it going. We just bow down and say, ‘Thank you.'”
Cole is the son of former tour players Laura Bowe and Bobby Cole. His father played for River Highlands only once professionally, finishing 50th in 1987, but his son never got to see that.
“I was born in ’88, so I would have been ahead of me,” said the younger Cole.
Rory McIlroy was tied for 10th at eight-under at No. 64. He had a double bogey on the par-3 par-eight, the hole he pared on Thursday for his first hole on the PGA Tour. This time, McIlroy put his shot into the water.
“I hit a pretty good shot,” he said, “I misjudged the wind a bit and it just happened short in one place you can’t miss today.” “But other than that, it was a really good round of golf.”
McIlroy caught a break on his final hole when his tee fell on a cable ditch behind a tree on the ninth hole. He was relieved by the tournament official, but injured a limb on his approach shot, which was still just short of the green, where he was able to get up and down par.
Schavelli was also under the age of eight after he was 64. Top seed Scotty Scheffler reached 7 under No. 70.
Windham Clark, Sunday’s US Open champion in Los Angeles who arrived here Wednesday, scored 67 for 5-under. He spent the first part of the week in New York, appearing on several talk shows.
Light rain left the greens soft, which helped keep scores low. The cut line was at 4 less, with Masters champion John Rahm knocked out with rounds of 67 and 71.
On Saturday, with heavy rain expected in the morning, the players will start at 10:45 in threes off both Nos. 1 and 10.