Endycott Climbs to Second Place in Mississippi on the PGA Tour

Australia’s Harrison Endycott blazed a scorching trail with a seven-under 65, surging into the spotlight at the PGA Tour event in Mississippi.

The 27-year-old Sydneysider moved up from tied-ninth to joint-second at the halfway point and trails American Ben Griffin by two shots.

Starting on the back nine at the Country Club of Jackson on Friday, Endycott had an eagle on the par-5 third, birdies on holes 7 through 10 plus 13 and 17, but finished with his lone bogey on the ninth.

He’s one of four players at 12 under and chasing Griffin, who went even lower than Endycott with a nine-under-par 63.

Griffin’s score was one shot better than his previous best in his rookie season, highlighted by a 65-foot eagle from the fringe on the par-5 14th hole.

Only one of his seven birdies came from inside 10 feet.

“I wanted to make sure I stayed aggressive,” Griffin said.

The Sanderson Farms Championship is part of the FedEx Cup Fall, when players are trying to finish among the top 125 in the FedEx Cup to keep full PGA Tour cards for 2024.Â

Griffin is at No.66 and already has his card locked up. At stake for him is to being among Nos. 51 to No. 60, which qualifies him for $20 million ($A31 million) tournaments early next year at Pebble Beach and Riviera.

The FedEx Cup Fall still has five tournaments left after this week, one of those a limited field in Japan.

Chesson Hadley was not quite as dangerous as he was on Thursday when he led with a 64. He had a 69 and was in the large group three shots behind.

Scoring was so low across the field that the cut came at five-under 139. Among those missing was defending champion Mackenzie Hughes (70) of Canada, who made a bold bid at the end until he pulled his tee shot into the hazard on the 16th and took bogey.

Australian golfers Cameron Percy, with a score of 68, and Lucas Herbert, who finished at 69, successfully advanced to the weekend rounds by ending their first two rounds at six under and five under, respectively. However, fellow Australian Greg Chalmers, who posted a 74, narrowly missed the cut with a score of one under.