Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer rose to the top of the leaderboard in the rain-delayed Zurich Classic of New Orleans when the Spaniard made an improbable shot as they finished the second round on the ninth hole Saturday morning.
Rahm (pictured right) holed out a chip shot from 20-feet for a birdie to cap their 7-under-par 65 in the alternate shot format and they took a one-stroke lead over first-round leaders Rory Sabbatini of Slovakia and Brian Gay, and Peter Malnati and Billy Hurley III at TPC Louisiana https://tpc.com/louisiana in Avondale, La.
“A lot to it is how we started,” Rahm said. “(I) made a good putt on 10 for birdie (from 28 feet), and then we just didn’t miss many shots, got ourselves in good positions to make a lot of putts. I made putts yesterday, Ryan was making putts today, and the few times we made mistakes, we just were able to fix it.”
Palmer (left) and Rahm, who opened with a four-ball 64, birdied their first three holes in round two to kick-start a bogey-free round that left them at 15-under 129.
Rahm, who chipped in from 15 feet on the 18th hole a day earlier, turned to Palmer before his last shot on Saturday and called the outcome by saying: “We’re going to end this round like yesterday.”
Said Palmer: “That’s why he’s so good, his short game is unbelievable. … It’s nice knowing when you make mistakes you’ve got a short game like that to back you up.
“But our games are so good together because we both drive the ball so well, and when our iron play is on, knowing how good he can putt and when I get the putter rolling, we’re going to make a lot of birdies in both formats. It’s exciting to be in this position.”
After the cut was made to 36 teams, tournament officials hoped the third round on Saturday afternoon, again in four-ball, would get play back on schedule after a long rain delay put them behind on Thursday.
Gay and Sabbatini followed their opening 60 with a 70, while Malnati and Hurley III totaled 67.
Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown, who were second in the tournament two years ago, totaled 69 and were two shots back in a tie for fourth with Russell Knox of Scotland and Brian Stuard, who also had a 69, and Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinax, who wound up at 70.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland and Henrik Stenson of Sweden shot 67 and were one more back in a tie for seventh with Russell Henley and Ryan Blaum, who also had a 67, Chez Reavie and Lucas Glover, who finished at 70, and J.T. Poston and Stephan Jaeger of Germany, who also came in at 70.
Defending champions Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy posted a 68 and were in a tie for 23rd that included Brooks and Chase Koepka.
Among those missing the cut were 2017 champions Jonas Blixt of Sweden and Cameron Smith of Australia, Jason Day and Adam Scott of Australia, Patrick Reed and Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau and Kyle Stanley, and Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa.
For complete results, visit https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
 holed out a chip shot from 20-feet for a birdie to cap their 7-under-par 65 in the alternate shot format and they took a one-stroke lead over first-round leaders Rory Sabbatini of Slovakia and Brian Gay, and Peter Malnati and Billy Hurley III at TPC Louisiana https://tpc.com/louisiana in Avondale, La.){kind=link}