Doug

Ghim

The Illinois native is in the top 10 at halftime for a third time this season in 26 events, most recently at the Genesis Scottish Open two starts ago, where he was T2 before settling for T16 (67-69-74-69). In 81 career events, he’s conjured just two top 10s, one last season in 27 starts, and one so far this campaign, an impressive T6 at THE PLAYERS 13 starts ago, where he was T11 at halfway and T2 thru 54 holes (70-70-68-72). Today, on 11 (of 14) fairways and 15 greens in regulation, the Texas alum opened with bogey-5 at hole 1 (missed par-saver from 42 inches) before playing his final 17 in error-free 4-under, circling 8, 12, 16 and 17, all four from between 17 and 49 feet. At last check, he posted 1.107 SG: Tee-to-Green and 2.120 SG: Putting.

Ghim opened with a 12-footer to save par at the 10th but he didn’t lean too heavily on the flat stick from that point forward. Steady striking was the name of the game as he split 10-of-14 fairways and gave himself four birdie looks from inside of 11 feet, despite it being a windy day at TPC Twin Cities. He walked off the course gaining 1.7 strokes on approach. The Illinois native entered the week at 117th in the FedExCup race, just eight spots safely inside of the Playoffs bubble. This is his third trip to the 3M Open with a T18 (2020) and MC (2021) on his resume.

Ghim split 7-of-13 fairways and landed 12 greens in regulation. Those stats were pretty solid when you factor in the windy conditions. From there, his short game was up and down but more up than down. Highlights included a 38'1" birdie bomb at the 2nd and a 24'5" par-saver at the 14th. That helped erase a pair of three-putts. This will be just the eighth time in his young career that he’s posted inside of the top 10 after 36 holes. He’s converted just one of those fast starts into a top 10 (T5 at the 2021 American Express) but more experience should only help him move forward, in theory. He’ll start the weekend just three shots off the lead set by Cameron Tringale at the top.

The rough is penal at St. George’s Golf and Country Club but Ghim didn’t have to worry about that with 12-of-13 fairways hit today. That kept his round relatively stress-free and his putter did the rest of the talking. Two of his five birdies were kicked in but the other three were all splashed home from outside of 10 feet and he also saved par from 10 feet, early in his round. “It’s starting to come together. Been struggling...To shoot 68 at Memorial and make seven birdies, I think, in one round, it was definitely a big confidence boost because that course is pretty hard. When you come out from Jack’s tournament and you show up here, the course looks a little easier just because of how difficult it is. Everything is starting to come together, and I’m pretty excited about where I’m heading.” Ghim’s been outside of the top 30 after day one in nine straight starts so it has to feel good to flip that script today.

The American took to the team event last season by pairing up with Justin Suh. The two signed for rounds of 65-73-63-72 to finish in a tie for 11th-place. Ghim will not have the luxury of Suh by his side as Schwab has stepped into the fold. This may be a good thing as the Austrian arrives to his first Zurich Classic in fantastic form. Enjoying a strong Florida Swing, Schwab captured top-10 finishes at the Honda Classic, Puerto Rico Open, and most recently at the Valero Texas Open. Consistently gaining strokes on approach, around-the-green, and putting, Schwab’s off-the-tee play may be the key factor for this team. Luckily it is an area where Ghim has been successful recently, especially on Pete Dye designs, as he has finishes of T-6 at The PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP and T-35 last week at the RBC Heritage.

Taking their place in the field will be Bronson Burgoon and Austin Cook. This will be Burgoon’s 11th start of the 2021-22 season with his best effort coming all the way back in September when he finished in a tie for 16th at the Fortinet Championship. Struggling since, perhaps this will be a spot for the 34-year-old to find some form as he captured a top-20 result last year. Similar can be said for Cook as he too found the top-20 in Napa, his best result of the season. Unable to find consistency in his game, the 31-year-old has played well in the last two March playings of the Valspar Championship, finishing in a tie for ninth-place in 2019 and a tie for 40th in 2018.

The 25-year-old was T3 thru 54 holes at THE PLAYERS last year and he swallowed a closing 78 to sour his payday (T29). Ghim played his way right back into the same position this week (slightly better being T2 thru 54 holes). It looked like it was going to be another huge number on the scorecard when he three-jacked from 12 feet early in his round today but recovered to play 2-under golf on his final 16 holes. Ghim ended his week ranked T3 in fairways hit and T4 in GIR Percentage. He will try to keep that ball-striking momentum rolling this week at the Valspar Championship. This week’s T6 will go in the books as his second career top 10 on the PGA TOUR (T5 at the 2021 American Express).

Ghim had the ball on a string with 14-of-14 fairways hit and from there he peppered 14 greens in regulation. He gave himself six scoring chances from inside of 15 feet, converting on just two of those. Luckily, his putter chimed in with a trio of long-distance birdies (24'5", 17'2", and 31'4"). Currently tied for second, this will be his best position thru 54 holes of a PGA TOUR event. The previous best? He was T3 after round three of last year’s PLAYERS before fading to T29 (6-over 78). “I remember I was pretty nervous last year because I didn’t really know how I would do, but it told me pretty quickly how much better at golf I got since I was a junior player. I like it better now. I’m a better driver of the ball than I used to be. I get excited every single time I come back here.” Ghim arrived on the heels of three straight missed cuts but certainly flipped the script through 54 holes this week. He will now play alongside Anirban Lahiri and Sebastian Munoz in the final round.

Sixty-eight of 72 (4 WDs) have now completed 36 holes out of the late/early wave, and Ghim is the best of the bunch after dealing a pair of 70s. He was 2-under thru 14 holes on Saturday when play was suspended (darkness), and returned on Sunday morning to finish par, birdie-4 (from 7'3"), par and bogey-5 (3-putt from 69'5"). Of the aforementioned 68, the Texas alum is one of only two who have managed to card two sub-par rounds, joining Seamus Power (71-71), and has tallied nine birdies against five bogeys. At last check, he lost 0.402 strokes on approach in R2 but gained 0.754 off-the-tee, 1.078 around, and 2003 on-the-green, converting three birdie chances from between six and 11 feet. The Illinois native, who arrived off three consecutive missed cuts, is making his second appearance after a T29 last year, where he was T5 at the midpoint and T3 thru 54 holes before 78 out of the penultimate twosome (w/ eventual champ Justin Thomas, 68) on Sunday (71-67-68-78). See link below to post-round comments.