Late Friday afternoon, a thunderstorm delivering gusts as strong as 60 mph nearby drenched TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, causing a two-hour delay at the 3M Open and creating evening playing conditions as clear and calm as could be.
Lee Hodges endures stormy, windy day to lead 3M Open by four strokes
The former Alabama player is being closely pursued by Tony Finau, Hideki Hatsuyama, Billy Horschel and Brandt Snedeker, among others.
July 29, 2023 at 3:13PM
When the sun set and the last of the evening's birdies had been made in the gloaming, former University of Alabama player Lee Hodges emerged alone to lead the field by four shots after two rounds.
Hodges followed his 8-under-par 63 on Thursday with a 64 on Friday to reach 15 under par.
Tyler Duncan, the 2019 RSM Classic winner, is next, three shots off the lead. Both he and Hodges have been bogey-free through two rounds.
Defending champion Tony Finau, former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and veteran tour winners Billy Horschel and Brandt Snedeker, among others, all are in pursuit.
Friday's 36-hole cut line at 4 under sent home two-time major champion and former world No. 1 player Justin Thomas. His 71 included two balls in the water at TPC Twin Cities' risky 18th hole and he was left at 2 under par.
Cam Young, who tied for eighth at last week's British Open, missed the cut as well. So, too, did major champions Gary Woodland and Jimmy Walker.
Hodges is 28, from Alabama and in his second PGA Tour season. He has two top-six finishes this season, at the CJ Cup and Texas Open, but not a win.
Yet.
Hodges also is 74th on the FedEx Cup points list to make next month's playoffs.
"I've just got a great attitude out there," he said. " 'Me and my caddie, we're 70-something on the points list. Like, what do we have to lose, you know? We're committed to every shot we've hit so far. We'll continue to do it because what do we have to lose?"
Round 2 play was suspended because of darkness with six players left on the course. They will resume their round at 8:15 a.m. while third-round play will begin with groups off both the first and 10th tees at 9:25 a.m.
Hodges finished just before the light disappeared across the former sod farm in Blaine.
"That was an answered prayer," Hodges said. "It's pretty dark right now. But it was totally fine playing the last. It was nice to get that in."
Finau concurred.
"Really happy to be done," Finau said. "I didn't want to come back out after the delay. I was like, this is nice, can we just go home? I'm happy I finished so I don't have to be here too early tomorrow."
Finau birdied three holes after the delay to tie with Snedeker, Kevin Streelman and J.T. Poston at 10 under.
Argentina's Emiliano Grillo — sixth at last week's British Open and third and second in past 3M Opens — as well as Horschel and David Lipsky were tied for seventh at 9 under.
Matsuyama, J.J. Spaun and Keith Mitchell were one more back.
"I knew the golf course was going to yield some birdies if I just stayed patient," Finau said. "So I just stayed patient. You never know after a delay, so it was nice to make a few birdies, even after the delay."
Finau birdied holes 14 and 16 after that to get to 10 under. Then he had to wait while Hodges birdied four of his final six holes behind FInau to get to 127 shots for the first two days.
That's a 3M Open scoring record for 36 holes, better than Bryson DeChambeau's 128 in 2019.
Finau is in a similar position to a year ago, when he trailed by five shots early on Sunday and won by three.
"That's a good spot to be," Finau said. "Last year, I was three to five shots going into the weekend.
Frankie Capan III, who will be playing on the PGA Tour next year, finished at 13 under par at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.
