Day 2 at the 3M Open: Notes, quotes and anecdotes

Looking for Dustin Johnson this weekend? Don't bother looking at TPC Twin Cities.

By Brian Stensaas Star Tribune

July 23, 2021 — 8:31pm

Day 2 at TPC Twin Cities

Keep that card

Pat Perez: After a couldn't-get-anything-going round of 72 on Thursday, Perez stormed out to a pair of birdies on his first two holes Friday and finished with a bogey-free 65. The seven-shot difference launched him into 26th place, four off the lead.

Toss that card

Russell Knox: Could not find the right gear all day, making two bogeys on each nine and no birdies en route to a 4-over 75 to miss the cut by a shot. Knox putted 33 times, making just one over 15 feet.

On the course with ...

Dustin Johnson: What is it about this place? A year after shooting 78 and withdrawing because of a back injury, Johnson appeared primed for the weekend, making three birdies in eight holes Friday. That stretch included sticking a chip shot from 20 yards away to within 2 feet of the cup on No. 6 and landing his tee ball on the par-3 eighth hole inside 6 feet. But that was the end of the party. DJ missed the cut after he played his final 10 holes in 4 over, including putting his tee ball in the water on the gargantuan par-5 18th. "Just cut it a little too much," Johnson said.

3M Open moment

Talk about finishing off in style. Sitting at 7 under and three off the lead, Cameron Tringale had 245 yards over water to the hole to wrap up his day on 18. He hit the ball about 210 yards. Facing a tumble down the leaderboard after putting his next shot 10 yards behind the green, Tringale instead opened the club face and chipped in for par. Afterward, he did an awkward celebration dance that resembled something between an oscillating sprinkler and Chubby Checker's "Twist."

Chip shots

Spring Lake Park's Troy Merritt ended the day exactly where he began, at 7 under after an even-par 71. Former Gophers golfer Erik van Rooyen shot 1 over but will also play the weekend, sitting at 2 under for the tournament. The three other golfers with Minnesota ties will be spectators, as Angus Flanagan, Tom Hoge and Brent Snyder all missed the cut.
Louis Oosthuizen was on fire with the flat stick, sinking putts of 50, 40 and 27 feet through 11 holes. But it could have been so much more. He left three consecutive birdie putts a foot away from the cup on Nos. 15-17 and missed a five-footer for birdie on 18.
Grayson Murray (knee) and Vaughn Taylor (lower back) withdrew during Friday's round.

Hole of the day

No. 12, 585-yard par-5: Players in need of a spark or to stop the bleeding found it at the 12th Friday. All but seven players made at least a par and 81 players had a birdie. There were two eagles.