It was another rough day at Chambers Bay Golf Course for the Waves, but one golfer tamed the course to take a sizeable lead into the final round. Joe Highsmith, who hails from just down the road from the course, fired a 4-under 66 to go from four shots back into a three-stroke lead.
Highsmith is seeking to become the first two-time winner on the tour, as well as going back-to-back after winning the fifth event at Conway Farms. He will go into the final round with a three-shot lead over William Mouw, and he leads five other competitors by four strokes.
But, the difficulty of the course could open it up to almost anyone in the field. The par-70 course played almost a stroke more difficult than round 1, and the Waves averaged 72.4 strokes in round 2.
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Leaderboard: 1. Joe Highsmith 138 (72-66); 2. William Mouw 141 (73-68); T3. Joshua McCarthy 142 (73-69); T3. Andrew Putnam 142 (72-70); T3. Joey Vrzich 142 (69-73); T3. Derek Hitchner 142 (68-74); T3. Clay Feagler 142 (68-74); T8. RJ Manke 144 (74-70); T8. Kevin DeHuff 144 (73-71); T8. Roy Cootes 144 (69-75); T11. Sahith Theegala 145 (72-73); T11. Austin Murphy 145 (71-74); 13. Josh Anderson 146 (74-72); 14. Frederick Wedel 147 (71-76); 15. Johnny Mac Arthur 149 (75-74); 16. Cody McManus 151 (72-79).
- Highsmith was at even-par after 13 holes. Three times, he posted a bogey and immediately came back with a birdie. But he then recorded birdies on four straight holes between 14 and 17.
- Mouw had the second-best round of the day, a 2-under 68. He had six birdies, including three of the final five holes. He went from a tie for 11th to second.
- McCarthy was the only other Wave to finish below-par. He had five birdies and moved from a tie for 11th to a tie for third.
- Besides Highsmith, the other two Washington-based golfers fared well as both Manke and Putnam were at even-par.
- All four of the golfers who shot under-par in the first round struggled in round 2, so much so that none of them will be in the final foursome.
ROGER SPORTS & GAMES 