The Zurich Classic team of Joel Dahmen and Keith Mitchell is aiming to put the fun back in golf.
Just consider Dahmen’s hat. It’s a bucket hat with the top cut out like a visor — something one of the PGA Tour’s social media accounts referred to as a “vucket.”
“We’re still trying to win a golf tournament,” Mitchell said, “and sometimes that can get in the way of having fun.
“We’re going to let the fun get in the way of winning the tournament.”
So far, they have a shot at doing both. Dahmen and Mitchell carded a 2-under 70 in Friday’s second round, played under the alternate-shot format in windy conditions. After a first-round 63, they entered the weekend in a tie for 11th at 11-under 133, just two strokes off the lead on a crowded leaderboard at TPC Louisiana.
“We made putts,” Dahmen said. “We’re not known for making putts. We’re known for ball-whacking, but we made some nice putts out there. (I) leaned on him, he leaned on me.”
If they go on to win, the “vucket” may become a new golf fashion trend.
Former LSU Tiger in the hunt
Former LSU All-American Sam Burns is at home with his wife Caroline awaiting the birth of their first child, leaving Ben Taylor as the only former Tiger in the field.
Taylor so far is making the most of his paring with Sean O’Hair. They followed up Thursday’s strong 9-under 63 in the best-ball format with a 1-under 71 Friday to stand in a tie for 19th at 10-under 134 at the halfway point.
A native of London, the 31-year-old Taylor scored the deciding point to lift LSU to the 2015 NCAA championship against Southern California.
Champs sneak inside cut
The 2023 winning team of Nick Hardy and Davis Riley will play the weekend … just barely.
Hardy and Riley birdied the par-5 18th to make the 36-hole cut right on the number at 8-under 136 with a second-round 70.
Hardy and Riley shot 30-under 258 last year to win by two strokes over Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor. The Canadian duo is tied for fifth at 12 under.
Slamming the trunk
The marquee team of Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris — tied for second-favorite entering the tournament with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry — bogeyed three of their last five holes and finished at 6 under, two outside the cut line. Also at that number was 65-year-old Russ Cochran, making his 600th PGA Tour start, with Eric Cole.
It wasn’t a winning weekend either for the tournament’s two pairs of twin brothers. Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard and Parker and Pierceson Coody both finished at 5 under.
Also missing the weekend: two-time Zurich champion Billy Horschel and Tyson Alexander, son of former LSU golf coach Buddy Alexander, at 4 under; and 2023 European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald and vice captain Francesco Molinari at 2 under.