Chandler Blanchet and Kensei Hirata share the lead in Bermuda
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SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda (AP) — Chandler Blanchet turned trouble off the tee into a birdie on the 18th hole, giving him a 4-under 67 on Friday and a share of the lead with Kensai Hirata of Japan going into what figures to be a windy weekend at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Hirata played bogey-free at Port Royal for a 64 to join Blanchet at 13-under 129. Hirata had never shared the lead after any round in his rookie season on the PGA Tour.
Blanchet tugged his drive on the par-4 closing hole and was hoping it would land in the bunker to at least give him a reasonable lie. It cleared the sand, but his golf ball was on a slight slope above his feet, leaving him a blind shot to a front pin.
The wedge came out perfectly, setting 5 feet away for a final birdie.
“Had a pretty uphill, above-the-feet lie and completely blind shot,” Blanchet said. “It was kind of a fun creative one, which I think you’ve got to be pretty solid at this week with the wind. Can’t just take your stock shots. So it was a good way to end it.”
Seamus Power, who won the Bermuda Championship in 2022 when the Irishman was among the top 50 in the world, shook off a poor finish to the opening round with a bogey-free 64. He was one shot behind, along with Canadians Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., who both shot 67.
Eric Cole (65) and Danny Walker, who birdied his last two holes for a 67, were also tied for third at 12 under.
Wind is the strongest defense of Port Royal, and it has not been up to full strength through two rounds. That much was evident by the scoring, so low that the 36-hole cut came at 5-under 137.
Among those missing the cut were defending champion Adam Schenk and Chandler Phillips, who came into the tournament at No. 98 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings. Five tournaments remain for players to finish in the top 100 and keep full status for 2027.
Power is at No. 103, so a big weekend would go a long way. He finished at No. 114 a year ago and still managed to get into most tournaments (except the signature events).
“But it was the unknowns,” he said. “Not knowing where I was going to get in and when I was going to get in was the tough part. Trying to get back into that top 100, get yourself back to full status, I just feel like you’re in a better more comfortable spot starting off in January.
“So like that’s going to be the big goal.”
The immediate goal is to handle the wind, which was forecast to be gusting stronger than it has all week at Port Royal.
“The weather’s going to be pretty difficult, so try and stay patient and excuse a few bad shots here and there, some wind gusts,” Cole said. “Just try and stay patient and have fun with it a little bit.”
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See AP’s full golf coverage here