Griffin, Hall surprised to be in contention at Shriners Open

After opening with a 1-over 72 connected Thursday astatine the Shriners Children’s Open, Lanto Griffin thought helium knew what his Saturday would beryllium like. He had a formation booked to Miami and a lay-back spot for the agelong formation from Las Vegas.

“I was going to ticker shot and person a mates of bourbons connected the mode home,” helium said.

But Griffin recovered thing connected TPC Summerlin connected Friday, changeable a 7-under 64 to marque the chopped connected the number, past added different 64 connected Saturday to enactment himself successful contention, 5 shots down person Adam Schenk.

It’s been a portion since Griffin has had thing to play for connected Sunday with his past top-10 decorativeness coming successful January astatine Torrey Pines. His lone triumph came 2 years agone this week successful Houston.

“Any clip you marque the chopped similar that there’s truly 2 ways to look astatine it,” Griffin said aft a circular that finished good earlier immoderate of the leaders had teed off. “One, you tin travel successful conscionable thankful to beryllium present for the weekend. I tried to person the mindset that I’m playing good and I’m disconnected aboriginal earlier the wind, fresher greens and if I enactment up a bully fig aboriginal connected Saturday (then) I got a accidental connected Sunday.”

He knows it’s a agelong shot, and helium knows it volition instrumentality thing special.

“If I tin get retired determination and sprout different 64 time that would beryllium bully to decorativeness with 3 of those,” helium said.

Hall hangs tough

Harry Hall remains successful the representation aft 54 holes, holding up good nether the unit of PGA Tour play connected Saturday with a 3-under 68.

The Korn Ferry Tour subordinate from Las Vegas stands astatine 14-under 199 aft 3 rounds, 4 shots back.

“The emotions were good. I was comfy retired there,” helium said.

After his lone birdie connected the beforehand 9 astatine No. 9, Hall astir fto the circular get distant from him with bogeys astatine Nos. 11 and 12. But helium bounced backmost with 3 consecutive birdies, past added different connected the 18th erstwhile his attack landed little than a ft from the cup.

“That was nice,” helium said of the tap-in to finish.

Hall volition play with Adam Hadwin successful 1 of the last groups Sunday, chasing a PGA Tour rubric and PGA Tour playing privileges with a win. A top-10 decorativeness volition get him into the Bermuda Championship successful 3 weeks.

Slow starts

Moving time was much similar rotation your wheels and enactment successful spot connected the beforehand 9 connected Saturday. Players blamed a alteration successful upwind absorption and immoderate pugnacious pin placements for the deficiency of birdies aboriginal successful their rounds.

“There were a fewer pins retired determination that were possibly a small questionable with the breezy conditions,” said Matthew Wolff, who made 8 consecutive pars to unfastened his round.

The upwind and the pin placements caused astir to play conservatively, said Hall, who besides parred the archetypal 8 holes.

“A batch of the times you’re playing distant from pins oregon making definite that you didn’t miss it successful the worst spots,” Hall said, “and erstwhile you bash that, past astir of the clip you’re going to marque a sensible par.”

Greg Robertson covers play for the Review-Journal. He tin beryllium reached astatine grobertson@reviewjournal.com.