Patrick Rodgers closed with a 64 on the Seaside course (SS) that included a run of four birdies late in his round to take a share of the lead at 14-under in the RSM Classic.
Consistency is 🔑@PRodgersGolf finishes with a share of the lead @TheRSMClassic. pic.twitter.com/FJ7ENqyYJl
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 19, 2022
"It was a really good day out there. I thought it was going to be maybe a little bit more difficult than it ended up being. Just at the start it was kind of like overcast, a little cool and a little breezy, but when the sun came out I felt like maybe there was some chances to score and get after the golf course a little bit.
"I was fortunate to get on a nice run there on the back nine, and today is all about positioning and I'm right there with a chance tomorrow, which is a really fun opportunity.
"These surfaces are like putting on glass, like putting on a pool table. They're just phenomenal. It's really a treat to putt on these surfaces, and so I felt like if I could just get them started online I could start to see a lot go in. It was nice to do that today.
"I feel like my game is good enough, my mentality is sharp enough to give myself chances to win, and I'm excited that I have another one tomorrow."
Fellow American Ben Martin seemed like he would match that 64 but a bogey at the 18th cost him the solo lead.
Right at it 💪@Ben_Martin87 grabs the solo lead at 13-under @TheRSMClassic. pic.twitter.com/rTd1KudoVH
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 19, 2022
"I don't know my stats, but it seemed like I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens," said Martin. "I don't remember chipping a ton, so it was kind of the way you want to play golf.
"Kind of boring, but I think Larry Penley at Clemson used to say, "Boring golf is good golf, good golf is great golf." So, yeah, very similar. That's kind of how I played yesterday. Took advantage of opportunities and didn't make a ton of mistakes.
"I think I did a good job. You know, made the turn a couple under, 3-under, so I was around the lead. I think it's easy - it can be easy for me to start peeking ahead and thinking ahead, but I think I did a good job on the back nine of setting myself a goal. All right, let's go play a good nine holes and shoot another 3-under par on the back nine. I think I did a good job of just staying in the moment and executing the shots I wanted to hit."
Canada's Adam Svensson shot a 62 for a share of third place at 13-under alongside Americans Sahith Theegala (68) and Andrew Putnam (69).
Seven players are tied in sixth place two-shots behinds the lead.
Cole Hammer, who led and co-led after the first two rounds, closed with a 72 after recovering from being 4-over through five holes and lies in T17 at 10-under.
