Friday, June 26 Recap
The only player to win the Travelers Championship in back-to-back years is hoping to become the tournament’s oldest winner this year.
Phil Mickelson birdied the 18th hole at TPC River Highlands on Friday, capping off a second-round 63 that gave him a one-shot lead at the halfway point of the 2020 Travelers Championship. Coupled with Thursday’s 64, Mickelson’s 36-hole total of 13-under 127 was one shot in front of Will Gordon (62 in the second round) and first-round leader Mackenzie Hughes, who followed his opening 60 with a 68.
Mickelson won at TPC River Highlands in 2001 and 2002. He turned 50 years old on June 16 and would become only the eighth player to win a PGA TOUR event after turning 50. The oldest winner in Travelers Championship history was Peter Jacobsen, who was 49 when he won at TPC River Highlands in 2003.
Rory McIlroy, the top-ranked player in the world who was paired with Mickelson the first two rounds, shot a 68 on Friday and led a group tied for fourth place at 9-under 131. That group also included 2012 Travelers Championship winner Marc Leishman.
The 36-hole cut came at 4-under 136, with 68 players qualifying for the final two rounds. With bad weather in the forecast for Saturday afternoon, the PGA TOUR has moved up third-round tee times. Players will go off in threesomes off the first and 10th tees, with the final group of Mickelson, Hughes and Gordon scheduled to go off No. 1 at 9:15 a.m. Golf Channel will provide live coverage from 8:50-10:50 a.m., followed by CBS streaming the live coverage at 10:50 a.m. Golf Channel will air tape-delayed coverage from 1-3 p.m., with CBS showing tape-delayed coverage from 3-6 p.m.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament is a TV-only event with no fans permitted on the grounds at TPC River Highlands.
