Harrington survives but Power and McDowell miss RSM Classic cut
Pádraig Harrington
Pádraig Harrington made sure his 27-hour trip from South Africa to his hotel in Sea Island was worthwhile when he made four long-range birdie putts in a three-under 67 to make the cut with a shot to spare in The RSM Classic in Georgia.
It was his 200th cut made from 279 PGA Tour starts
The Dubliner, 46, finished the day tied for 50th on four-under-par, ten strokes behind leader Austin Cook as Graeme McDowell and Seamus Power missed the cut.
After finishing with a double bogey seven on 18th on the Plantation Course en route to an opening 70, the three-time major winner was in trouble when he bogeyed the 13th and 14th (his fourth and fifth holes) on the Seaside Course to slip outside the cut mark.
But he then birdied five of his next six holes, holing putts of two feet, 20 feet, eight feet and 25 feet for birdies at the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th, saved par from eight feet at the first and made a 17 footer for another birdie at the second to get to four-under.
Bogeys at the fourth and fifth put him in danger of missing the three-under-par cut but he birdied the par-three sixth from 41 feet and chipped close at the eighth for another birdie to make it with a shot to spare.
Power missed out by a shot - his third missed cut from five starts in the 2017-18 season - when he added a one-over 71 to his opening 69.
16 hr flight. 2hrs in security line but at least a five guys for breakfast. pic.twitter.com/pQZZ4DaGf3
— Padraig Harrington (@padraig_h) November 13, 2017
Some weeks travels are harder than others. I left my hotel in South Africa at 3.45 and have just arrived 27hrs later for @TheRSMClassic
— Padraig Harrington (@padraig_h) November 13, 2017
The West Waterford player recovered from two opening bogeys on the back nine at the Seaside Course with four birdies in his next five holes.
In the end, he dropped three more shots by three-putting the 18th and missing three putts inside six feet, for par at the fifth and sixth and for birdie at the par-five seventh.
After opening with a one-over 73 on day one, McDowell posted a second round 68 but finished two shots outside the cut mark on one-under-par.
At the top of the leaderboard, Web.com Tour graduate Cook followed his bogey-free 66 on the first day with another immaculate round.
The Arkansas native made eight birdies in an eight-under 62 to lead by one stroke on 14-under-par from 45-year-old, four-time PGA Tour winner Brian Gay.
PGATour.com reported:
Cook, 26, is a PGA TOUR rookie after finishing 15th on the 2017 Web.com Tour money list. He solidified his spot in "The 25" with a runner-up finish at the Utah Championship.
"It's been a lifelong dream," he said of earning his TOUR card. Next Tuesday, his hometown club, Jonesboro Country Club in Arkansas, is throwing a party for him in recognition of his achievement.
When told he could have a lot more to celebrate if he were to become The RSM Classic's fifth PGA TOUR first-time winner, Cook hesitated to look too far ahead.
"Well, you know..." he said, taking a pregnant pause. "Yeah, we can have a lot to celebrate."
