Doug Ghim maintains one-shot lead at PGA's John Deere Classic
Doug Ghim tees off on the first hole during the second round of the John Deere Classic.
WASHINGTON – Doug Ghim holed out from the fairway for an eagle for the second straight day on July 4, adding three birdies in a three-under 68 to maintain a one-shot lead in the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic.
'I guess holing out two days in a row is always nice,' said Ghim, who also chipped in for a birdie on the way to a 12-under total of 130 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.
'It's been a couple years since I think I holed out from the fairway. To get two (on) back-to-back days is great.'
He had teed off on 10 and opened with a birdie, but gave the stroke back with a three-putt bogey at the 12th.
He said the hole-out eagle was especially welcome at 15th, 'not the easiest of the holes out here'.
'It just felt like a huge, huge boost so it helped me stay more patient because something good happened to me there,' he added.
Ghim, a 29-year-old hoping he can become the 25th player to claim a first tour title at this event, had five players on his heels at 11-under 131.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore CPF members can make housing, retirement and health insurance plans with new digital platform
Singapore From temples to towers: Old memories collide with new money in Geylang
Singapore Clans of Geylang: The fight for survival and revival
Asia Magnitude 5.4 quake shakes south-western Japan islands as temblors continue
Singapore Tan Cheng Bock and Hazel Poa step down from PSP leadership
Life 'I applied to over 300 jobs': What people wish they knew before they got laid off
Asia Dream wheels, Malaysian deals: Singaporean car lovers find affordable indulgence across the border
Asia How a Singaporean heatproofs himself to cope with 40 deg C summer in Chongqing
That included defending champion Davis Thompson, who had eight birdies in his eight-under 63, and US veteran Max Homa – who started the day one back and posted a three-under 68 to stay there.
Argentina's Emiliano Grillo and Americans Brian Campbell and David Lipsky were also at 11-under.
Another six players were a further stroke back on 132 going into the third round.
'The leaderboard is so bunched,' Ghim said. '(I will) just kind of keep my head down and try to birdie some par-fives and roll in a couple more 15-footers.'
Former world No. 8 Homa was tied for the lead after rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt at the 17th, but as on the first day he bogeyed his final hole, finding a fairway bunker off the tee at 18.
'It got really windy,' said Homa, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour who has had just one top-25 finish this season. 'The greens got pretty crusty. It's just nice to keep playing well.
'It's definitely the best 36 holes off the tee I've had in a while consecutively, so that's nice.'
Campbell shook off an early bogey to post six birdies, including four in a row on the back nine on the way to a five-under 66. Grillo also posted a 66 and Lipsky signed for a 67. AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Dortmund coach Kovac calls for later kickoffs after scorching Club World Cup
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac called for later kickoff times after his players again laboured through scorching heat in a dramatic 3-2 defeat by Real Madrid in their Club World Cup quarter-final at 3 p.m. ET (1900 GMT) on Saturday in New Jersey. Dortmund played in temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) last month for a group stage game at the same time of day in Cincinnati. WHY IT IS IMPORTANT Scorching temperatures at the Club World Cup have raised concerns for the 2026 World Cup, where a record 48 teams will face off in the quadrennial global spectacle in the sweltering North American summer. Soccer's world governing body, FIFA, have implemented cooling breaks and mitigating measures, but coaches and players have complained, with frequent afternoon kickoff times making teams compete in direct sun. Nine of the 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup face conditions considered "extreme risk" for heat-related illness and the global players union FIFPRO said it is exploring better ways to protect players. KEY QUOTES: Dortmund coach Niko Kovac: "These athletes had to bring top performance, but again that's the tournament mode and we will see the same next year during the World Cup... We have to consider the players." "This is very hard for someone, and the players they must play these games... But OK, this is this is the tournament, we need to play. It's my suggestion that the kickoff time would be a little bit later. We played in Atlanta (at 9 p.m. ET) so the intensity is also much higher." "As a spectator, you would like to see intensive, aggressive, up and down football, so when it's too hot, then it's difficult to play this kind of football." REUTERS
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Bayern's Kompany seethes after Musiala suffers suspected broken ankle in clash with PSG
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox ATLANTA - Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany expressed his frustration after playmaker Jamal Musiala suffered a horror injury at the Club World Cup against Paris Saint-Germain on July 5. The 22-year-old Germany international fell and appeared to suffer a severe ankle injury after an innocuous collision in play with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during the French side's 2-0 quarter-final victory in Atlanta. Musiala was taken off on a stretcher and replaced by Serge Gnabry for the second half. 'I've rarely been so angry at half-time, not against my players,' Kompany told reporters. 'There are many things in life that are much more important than this, but in the end, for these guys, it's their life. 'Someone like Jamal lives for this and he (recently) came back from a setback. And then it happens in the way it happens and you feel powerless.' Kompany said he wanted his Bayern side to try and find motivation in the injury against the European champions. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore TTSH to demolish century-old pavilion wards, keeping one as heritage marker World Iran's Khamenei makes first public appearance since war with Israel World 'Formed to give you back your freedom': Elon Musk says he has created a new US political party Asia Poor sex education, policy gaps and stigma fuel HIV surge among young Filipinos Singapore Don't view your first property as a dream home, get a foothold in the market instead: PropNex's Ismail Gafoor Singapore How soya sauce could help treat cancer Tech Graduates are not screwed if they study engineering: James Dyson in response to Economist article Business When a foreign wife failed to turn up for a $10m divorce 'You try and get strength out of it because you want to do it for Jamal,' explained the Belgian coach. 'When I'm sat here next to you now, the thing that gets my blood still boiling at the moment, it's not the result. 'I understand this is football, but it's the fact that it happened to someone that, for one, enjoys the game so much, but also is very important for us. 'It didn't look good... it looks like an ankle injury of some type, but I'm not going to make a diagnosis here.' PSG players also showed support for the youngster – one of football's most promising young talents. 'A shout-out to Jamal Musiala, who suffered a serious injury, it's something you do not want to see on the field,' PSG defender Marquinhos told DAZN. 'It's important we talk about Jamal Musiala,' said Achraf Hakimi. 'I want to give my support to him. We hope to see him back on the pitch soon.' AFP
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
A star is born: Gonzalo Garcia makes most of Club World Cup
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Jul 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Real Madrid CF forward Gonzalo Garcia (30) controls the ball against Borussia Dortmund in the second half during a quarterfinal match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Real Madrid's 21-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcia has gone from virtual unknown to a tournament sensation at the Club World Cup, netting his fourth goal in five games on Saturday to help send the LaLiga side into the semi-final. At a tournament where organizers were banking on household names to build the excitement, the academy graduate has become the breakout star, seizing his chance to deputize for an ill Kylian Mbappe. "We've seen him play in the last few games and today he did it again," said manager Xabi Alonso. "He is making the most of this opportunity." Garcia's terrific run began in Real's opener against Al-Hilal last month, where he scored in a 1-1 draw, as Mbappe was sidelined with acute gastroenteritis. He recorded an assist in Real's second group-stage affair against Pachuca and added a bit of insurance in Real's 3-0 win over Salzburg to close out the group stage. He headed another in to clinch their round of 16 win over Juventus 1-0 on Tuesday, where Mbappe came in off the bench for Garcia. Mbappe was a second-half substitute again on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, but this time came on as veteran forward Vinicius Jr. came off, a sign of just how high Garcia's stock has climbed. "I think that he is in the right place, right time, and we're very happy with the work he's doing - and he's also scoring goals," Alonso told reporters. It was hardly what fans expected from the homegrown talent who had made few starts in LaLiga before the U.S.-hosted tournament, but has become the bedrock of the Real attack under manager Alonso. Garcia and his Real side face a tough test against the European champions Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday at MetLife Stadium. REUTERS
