Hurley leading at Greenbrier Classic
Billy Hurley III has been waiting for a breakthrough moment on the PGA Tour. On Independence Day, the former U.S. Navy officer might have set himself up for one this weekend in the Greenbrier Classic.
Hurley shot a season-best 7-under 63 Friday to take the second-round lead.
Hurley’s bogey-free round included a chip-in from 29 feet on No. 4 in cool conditions before the wind picked up considerably late in his morning round.
“You know, anytime you play good, it’s great, right?” Hurley said. “There’s special days of the year for our country, and having served … adds something to it. It’s kind of pretty cool, I guess, to shoot 7 under on the 4th of July.”
It’s a nice storyline. Then again, having military experience wasn’t on his mind in jumping to the top of the leaderboard.
“I was just trying to keep getting the ball in the hole,” he said.
Hurley was at 9-under 131 at Old White TPC. Eleven players were within four shots of him.
Kevin Chappell (65) and Chris Stroud (66) were a stroke back. Troy Matteson
Troy Matteson had a 61 to vault into fourth place at 7 under. He has made the cut in all five years of the Greenbrier Classic.
Brice Garnett (66), Steve Stricker (68) and Chris Kirk (69) were another stroke back at 6 under.
Hurley graduated from Annapolis in 2004 and spent five years in the Navy. He playing golf sparingly while stationed in Hawaii and worked out as much as he could.
Being mentally tough on the course comes easy for Hurley, whose missions included steering a Navy destroyer through the Suez Canal.
Playing partner Chris Stroud said it was “special” for a former military man to be leading the tournament and was amazed at how Hurley could recapture his golf game.
Stadler widens lead at French Open: American Kevin Stadler increased his lead to three strokes in the French Open, following his opening 64 with a 68.
Stadler, the Phoenix Open winner in February, had a 10-under 132 total on Le Golf National’s Albatross Course, the site of the 2018 Ryder Cup.
France’s Victor Riu was second after a 67. Defending champion Graeme McDowell was tied for fourth at 3 under after a 69, and U.S. Open winner Martin Kaymer was another stroke back after a 68.
Sloan leadsd Web.com event: Canada’s Roger Sloan shot a 6-under 65 for a share of the second-round lead with Mexico’s Jose de Jesus Rodriguez in the Web.com Tour’s Nova Scotia Open.
Former Washington native Steve Wheatcroft shot 79 and did not make the cut.