Canada’s Adam Svensson Takes 36-Hole Lead At Winco Foods Portland Open
Adam Svensson Will Try To Take His 36-Hole Lead All The Way To A Victory On Sunday In The WinCo Foods Portland Open - Image Courtesy Golf Canada
For Immediate Release
North Plains, Ore. – Canada’s Adam Svensson fired a 5-under-par 66 at Witch Hollow Golf Club at Pumpkin Ridge in the second round and grabbed the lead at the halfway point of the WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft Heinz, the finale to the Web.com Tour Regular Season.
The 21-year-old Tour rookie’s 12-under-par 130 total is good for a one-stroke cushion over PGA TOUR veteran Dicky Pride (66).
Overnight leader Curtis Thompson (70) and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica alum Ryan Sullivan (67) sit in a tie for third at 10-under-par.
Three back in a tie for fifth are four-time TOUR winner Tim Herron (65) and former PAC-12 Player of the Year Michael Kim (68).
Svensson’s day got off to a rocky start with a bogey out of the gate. The Surrey, British Columbia resident calmed things down with a par at the next before the fireworks began.
With a 9-iron in hand, Svensson knocked his tee shot on the par-3, 12th hole, pin high some 20 feet away. He drained the left to right putt for birdie-two and kick-started his round. “That was a momentum builder on the 12th hole,” said Svensson.
Svensson made four more birdies on his opening nine and turned in 32. Coming in, the two-time GCAA All-American at Barry University played flawless. He managed two birdies and a few crucial par saves to hang on to the lead as dusk settled in.
This is Svensson’s first year as a professional golfer. Earlier this year, the 2014 Division II Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year finished second-second-third in his first three starts on Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada.
“I got off to a good start in Canada,” said Svensson. “This has been a good experience for me. It’s been fun.”
Svensson‘s first start on Tour came in Cleveland at the Rust-Oleum Championship where he finished T11. The 2013 Division II Phil Mickelson Freshman of the Year is making his seventh Tour start this week in Oregon. The lack of experience doesn’t get to Svensson when he sees his name atop the leaderboard.
“Just because this is the last event and I’m not inside the top 75 I had no nerves,” said Svensson who is currently No. 131 on the Tour money list. “I played aggressive and that’s what I’m going to do the next two days because I have to finish high.”
The weather is expected to take a turn for the worse on Saturday. High winds and rain are predicted to cover the area for the during the third round.
“I’m from Vancouver,” said Svensson of the potential tough conditions. “I grew up playing in the rain, so I don’t think it will be that big of a deal to me.”
Pride arrived in Portland No. 40 on the money list. After a bogey to start his round, the 46-year-old from Tuscaloosa, Alabama recorded four birdies and an eagle to get within one of Svensson. Even after the stellar start, Pride knows Witch Hollow GC will play tougher over the final 36 holes.
“It’s going to be a big challenge,” said Pride. “This golf course will play a lot different tomorrow.”
FRIDAY NOTES:
* This week’s event is the final event of 21 regular season events on the 2015 schedule. The top-25 money winners following this week’s finale will earn PGA TOUR cards for the 2015-16 wraparound season. A second set of 25 cards will be on the line during the four-event Web.com Tour Finals, which follow in September and early October.
* This week’s purse is $800,000 with $144,000 going to the champion.
* Preferred lies were in effect for the second round because of overnight rain.
* A total of 65 players made the cut, which came at 2-under 140.
* Third-round play will be in threesomes off the first and tenth tee. Times will run from 8:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m.
* Last year Carlos Ortiz grabbed the 36-hole lead with an 8-under 63. Ortiz took a one-stroke advantage over Nicholas Lindheim into the weekend, carded 70-71 and edged out Jason Gore and Adam Hadwin by a single shot for his third win of the season.
* Calgary's Ryan Yip recorded the 24th hole-in-one of the season en-route to a 2-over 73 in the second round of the WinCo Foods Portland Open. Yip holed a 9-iron from 155 yards on the par-3 second. It was the fourth ace Yip has made since he picked up a golf club.