Could the PGA Tour’s best break scoring records on Hilton Head? Conditions are ideal
A little rain was all that was needed to erode some Harbour Town Golf Links’ defenses.
An overnight shower softened the Hilton Head Island golf course ahead of the second round of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. And best players in the world grabbed the opportunity to aggressively fire at flags and zoom up the leaderboard.
“There wasn’t any wind blowing; It was definitely soft,” South Carolina native Dustin Johnson said after a second round 66 to move to 8 under par. “...With it soft, it plays a little bit longer, because the balls aren’t rolling on the fairway. But, yeah, you can be aggressive around here.”
Three players from the morning wave shot 8-under 63 Friday, the low round of the PGA Tour event through 36 holes. Harbour Town was playing about 2 1/2 strokes easier than average with half the field through the second round.
The 7,000-yard course requires proper position off the tee and steady distance control to hold small greens. With little wind to affect shots above the tree line, drives sticking in fairways and approaches holding greens, one of the PGA Tour’s strongest fields ever has feasted.
Webb Simpson, who fired a second-round 65 to lead early Friday at 12 under, acknowledged the wind’s ability to historically keep scores modest on Hilton Head. His 130 total after two rounds is one off the 36-hole record set back Jack Nicklaus in 1975 and matched by Phil Mickelson in 2002.
Brian Gay owns the tournament scoring record, with 20-under 264 in 2009.
“Most years the wind blows, anywhere from 9 under to 15 under usually wins,” Simpson said. “So I think there’s a comfort knowing I’m going to show up and I know what to expect. I know how to play the golf course. I’ve seen every bit of wind from each direction.”
Not everything has been easy, though.
Despite the benign conditions, Bryson DeChambeau so he did note the breeze on his way to a 64 playing with Simpson on Friday. DeChambeau said he’s also working to adjust to the bermuda grass players don’t usually encounter when the tournament is played in April.
He could be heard on the PGA Tour broadcast Friday morning after a chip shot rolled well past the flag that he was scared of flubbing the shot and leaving it short.
“I am terrible off of that grass; I don’t feel as confident as if I were on bent(grass),” DeChambeau said. “That stuff, we’re working on.”
The course could remain soft, with more rain possible Saturday and Sunday. And the wind is forecast to remain fairly calm after breezy conditions during practice rounds early in the week.
That could spell record low scoring for a year when everything is already a little different at Harbour Town.
