The Victorian, who goes by the nickname ‘Digger’, followed up a two-under par 70 that mixed six birdies and four bogeys with a second-round 71 to finish on three-under 141.
The update outlines a stricter set of tournament regulations than players have become accustomed to in recent months in the United States on the PGA Tour.
Almost a year on from having to cancel the Open Championship at Royal St George’s, the R&A is currently planning three events – no crowd, limited crowd, unrestricted crowd – for 2021.
Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley expressed support for the findings of the USGA and R&A’s distance report, which notably called the trend of increasing driving distance “detrimental to the game.”
When the PGA of America announced on Wednesday that it would allow distance-measuring devices in its Major championships, including at this year’s PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, one of the main tenets of the decision was that it would help speed up play.
During a press conference on the eve of his second appearance at the Saudi International, the US Open champion revealed he had “nothing controversial” to say about the prospect of the R&A and USGA introducing equipment changes sometime in the relatively near future.
TaylorMade put two new drivers on the conforming list of golf clubs published by the R&A this week, both apparently follow-ups to the current SIM line of drivers.
The moves complete the shift in venues brought on by the decision to call off this year’s Open at Royal St George’s in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s a conversation that has been amplified in 2020, partially due to the R&A and USGA’s Distance Insights Project but mostly because of Bryson DeChambeau.
A fortnight was all the time it took for this year’s Open – what should have been the 149th playing of golf’s oldest Major – to go from scheduled to cancelled.
Australian Golf Digest
