Patrick Fishburn fired an eagle at the par-5 8th at the Plantation Course as well as six birdies to sign for a bogey-free, 8-under 64 and take a one-shot lead at11-under at the RSM Classic.
“Got off to a really good start, hit one close on the first hole. I’ve had a lot of experience playing in cold growing up in Utah, playing this time of year, kind of get used to playing when the body’s not moving very well and you’ve got to move your hands.
“Just pretty happy with how I played, kind of stayed in the moment mentally, one shot at a time. Just kept the ball in play and that was kind of the key. Once you get the ball in play, you can kind of attack. Made a few putts and hit some good iron shots, did everything pretty well, pretty happy with it.
“You never know what golf’s going to bring. You could shoot 45 or 35 or 29, you never know what it’s going to bring. I kind of, like I said, I got off to a good start, hit it really close on the first hole, then had a good look on the second hole, just kind of kept the momentum going. Made a nice eagle on 8, two really good shots in there to about six feet. And then 9 was pretty lucky, I was kind of just left of the green a little bit in the fringe and ball was planning to go six feet by but hit the hole and went in, so that was pretty lucky.”
The PGA Tour rookie missed the cut in seven of his first eight starts in 2024 but has recorded four top-10s in 25 starts. He began the final event of the FedExCup Fall at No. 87 in the FedExCup Fall standings.
“Just getting more and more comfortable as the year goes on. Rookie season, everything’s new to me, so I’m getting more comfortable with the way the courses are and how the setups are. I feel like my game historically, I’ve started off really slow and then kind of gets better as the season goes on, so a little bit of that. But just the ball-striking’s been pretty consistent, starting to putt it a little more consistent. The game’s in a good spot right now.”
His 131 total marks his career-low 36-hole score and he holds the lead for the first time on Tour.
First-round co-leader Maverick McNealy followed a career-low 62 in round one with a 2-under 70 on the Plantation Course to take a share of second place at 10-under.
Lee Hodges, playing on a tournament winner’s exemption through 2025, signed for a 9-under 63 at the Plantation Course for a share of second place. He is currently No. 81 in the FedExCup Fall.
First-round co-leader Michael Thorbjornsen lies in a share of fourth place at 9-under after a second-round 1-under 69 on the Seaside Course.
Rounding out the all-American top-5, amateur Luke Clanton shot a 7-under 65 at the Plantation Course for a share of fourth place. He has had two top-fives on Tour in 2024 (T2/John Deere Classic, 5th/Wyndham Championship) and is competing on his seventh and final sponsor exemption of the 2024 season.
After opening with a 3-over 73 on the Seaside Course, defending champion Ludvig Åberg carded a bogey-free 8-under 64 at the Plantation Course featuring an eagle at the par-5 8th to move up to T17 at 5-under. He is making his first start since left knee surgery in September.
*
Nos. 1-50 in the FedExCup standings through the Tour Championship are locked in their positions, while Nos. 51 and beyond carry their FedExCup points into the Fall. Nos. 51-60 through the FedExCup Fall will qualify for two Signature Events in 2025: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Genesis Invitational. No players moved into Nos. 51-60 this week.
The Top 125 will be exempt into all Full-Field events and The Players next season and Nos. 126-150 will earn full Korn Ferry Tour status and conditional status on Tour next season.
