MEMPHIS – Harris English shot a 5-under-par 65 on Friday at TPC Southwind to hold on to his two-stroke lead in the FedEx St. Jude Invitational as he seeks his fifth PGA Tour career victory – including his third of 2021 – and his first in a World Golf Championship tournament.
“This game is all about confidence, and if you have confidence on your side, you just run with it,” he said. “In years past, a (bad shot) would send me into a downward spiral. Now I’m enjoying the grind of it.”
The 32-year-old former Baylor School and University of Georgia golfer was 13-under 127 through 36 holes as he withstood strong challenges from Mexico’s Abraham Ancer and Australia’s Cameron Smith, who each shot a 62 – the score English opened with Thursday to match his lowest round on the PGA Tour. Smith’s big day required only 18 putts, tying a PGA Tour record for fewest in a round, and Ancer posted his 14th bogey-free round of the season, the tour’s best in 2020-21.
“I’ve been playing really solid,” English said. “When I miss the greens, I feel like my short game has been on point. And I feel like I’m putting it well. I made some good saves for par, (I made) some good birdies putts. Everything is clicking right now.”
Sam Burns (64), Scottie Scheffler (65) and England’s Ian Poulter (66) were tied for fourth at 10 under, with Bryson DeChambeau (66) and South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen (64) another stroke back.