Keith Mitchell goes low again, opens big lead at CJ Cup

If this were a boxing match, The Summit Club would person thrown successful the towel by now.

With its wide fairways, large, receptive greens and virtually nary upwind to talk of, the people tucked into the reddish rocks of occidental Las Vegas has nary defence against the champion golfers successful the world.

The midway constituent of the CJ Cup arrived with Keith Mitchell connected apical astatine 18 nether — yes, 18 nether — done 2 rounds. He added a 64 Friday to his 62 connected Thursday to get wrong 2 strokes of the all-time PGA Tour scoring grounds successful narration to par aft 36 holes.

“Honestly, if you deed it successful the fairway, you springiness yourself a chance,” Mitchell said of The Summit. “If you deed it connected the green, the greens are truthful good, particularly erstwhile you play aboriginal successful the morning, that if you deed a bully putt, the chances of it going successful are beauteous precocious due to the fact that these greens present are incredible.”

Jordan Spieth, who is among 3 players closest to Mitchell astatine 5 shots back, said the people makes being assertive the lone option.

“I deliberation it puts much of an accent connected who’s making the astir putts and there’s a small spot little successful carving your mode astir the course, similar truly reasoning your mode astir it,” Spieth said. “It’s much you’re firing astatine each pin. Most of the short-sided ones, if you miss short-sided, you’re really successful amended signifier than if you’re connected the different broadside of the green.”

Mitchell surely has been making the putts. His circular Friday included an eagle connected the third, 7 birdies and his archetypal bogey of the week. That gives him 17 birdies and an eagle done 36 holes.

Asked however helium keeps it up connected the weekend, Mitchell spoke successful what adjacent helium referred to arsenic cliches.

“Really committing to each changeable I’m hitting,” helium said. “Committing to wherever I privation to deed it, not wherever I privation the shot to finish.”

Ian Poulter stands astatine 11 nether done 36 holes, a people helium would usually beryllium blessed about. But having played 2 rounds alongside Mitchell, helium knows there’s a large elevation to ascent connected the weekend.

“The archetypal 2 rounds that Keith’s played is beauteous impressive,” helium said. “18 nether for 2 days is immoderate bully golf.”

It wasn’t conscionable Mitchell, though his play was by acold the astir profound implicit the archetypal 2 days. The full tract seemed to beryllium capitalizing connected a defenseless play course.

At 1 constituent precocious Friday morning, erstwhile Alex Noren tapped successful for birdie connected the 4th hole, nary of the 66 players connected the people astatine the clip was implicit par for the day.

Player aft subordinate described the people arsenic “gettable,” and they’re surely proving their point.

“Fairways are premium here,” Hudson Swafford said. “You deed fairways, you’re going to person opportunities.”

If Mitchell were to falter, determination are plentifulness of bully players lurking. Three-time majors champion Spieth, erstwhile Masters champ Adam Scott, Harry Higgs and Seonghyeon Kim are 5 back, portion Rickie Fowler and Tyrrell Hatton are six behind. Scott had 2 eagles and 4 birdies implicit his last 7 holes to get successful the mix.

And if Mitchell needs immoderate information to enactment focused, different than chasing his 2nd vocation title, helium tin look to first-round person Robert Streb. His 61 connected Thursday included a commencement of 7 nether done six holes. On Friday, helium played that agelong 7 shots worse and finished with a 72, leaving him 7 shots behind.

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