Trace Crowe held a one-shot lead with two holes left in his second round when play was suspended at the Austin Championship on Friday in Texas.
Crowe, the first-round leader thanks to a career-low 62, was 3 under Friday evening to get to 13 under for the tournament. He had hit his tee shot on the par-3 17th hole at the Fazio Canyons Course at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa when play was suspended.
Crowe was one of 16 players still on the course when tour officials halted play. They’ll have to complete their rounds Saturday at 7 a.m. local time before the third round begins at 8:40 a.m.
The 30-year-old Crowe, who is seeking his maiden PGA Tour win, is one shot ahead of Taiwan’s Kevin Yu, who posted his second straight round of 66.
The inaugural Austin Championship is the penultimate event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Fall series. Players in the top 100 of the points race at the end of the fall will retain full-time tour status, and Nos. 101-125 will receive conditional status for 2027.
Crowe entered the week at No. 117 in the fall standings and the live projection showed he would jump to No. 63 with a win.
Similarly, Yu was on the bubble entering the tournament at No. 99 and was projected to rise to No. 70 if current results hold. Yu’s two-year exemption for winning the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship runs out at the end of this season.
“If you think about it, it’s definitely a lot of pressure, but on the golf course pressure’s not going to do anything good to you,” Yu said. “On the course I’m trying to be, just be myself on the course, try to hit good golf shots. If I just keep hitting good golf shots, the good golf is going to take care of itself.”
Yu’s big move came early in the day. He started his round on the back nine and went birdie-birdie-eagle at Nos. 12-14.
“The eagle I made, got a pretty lucky bounce on a second shot, kind of hit the side of the bunker and kicked left,” he said. “I had, like, 12 feet left, maybe a little less than that. Yeah, it was a great putt, went in the center.”
Tied for third are Brian Harman (66) and Norway’s Kristoffer Ventura (67) at 11 under. Jordan Smith of England (67), Erik van Rooyen of South Africa (70) and Sami Valimaki of Finland (66) were knotted at 10 under along with Neal Shipley, who was 6 under for his round with two holes to finish.
Harman’s status on tour is not in limbo thanks to his Open Championship win in 2023. But he can still play his way from No. 71 into the top-60 range at the end of the fall and secure his place in the first two signature events of 2027.
“I’ve had a lot of chances at it this year and I haven’t come up with much,” Harman said of his season, “so it’s just nice to be playing some good golf.”
The projected cut line was 4 under and could still move. The top 65 players and ties after 36 holes advance.
–Field Level Media
