A duo of fragile leaders, favorites in ambush and the cards of the day for Sepp Straka and Mark Hubbard

It is still difficult to see clearly in the California desert after the second round of the American Express which cost some people dearly and displaced many others.

The leading duo ofAmerican Express mid-tournament will it be the same Saturday evening? It's unlikely!

In fact, the American Charley Hoffman and the Filipino Rico Hoey played the first two rounds on the two easiest tracks of the American Express, the Nicklaus Tournament and the The Fifth. They still have to negotiate their 3rd round on the true “justice of the peace” of the triptych, the Stadium Courseto validate their good start in this event.

A test that has been successfully passed Mark Hubbard et Sepp Magpie. The Californian, followed by many members of his family, several of whom were among those affected by the terrible fires in Los Angeles, and the Austrian signed the same remarkable card of 64 on the formidable Pete Dye course.

They are only one shot away from the leading men and therefore appear as “virtual” leaders. The Canadian Nick Taylorwinner last week in Hawaii in the Sony Openis also to be placed among the favorites to start Sunday in the latter parts of the 4th round.

JT, Rickie and Patty tell the story

The analysis also applies to the reconciliations of Justin Thomas (+20 places) with his lowest career putt total (22) on Friday and Patrick Cantlay (+35 places) who have not won for 3 years, or Rickie Fowler (+57 places). We will know more about the possibility of shining for the three Americans after the 3rd round on Saturday on the Stadium Course.

A course which, for the record, had been considered so difficult when it first hosted the Bob Hope Classic (the ancestor of American Express) in 1987 that it had been removed from the calendar of PGA Tour until his return in… 2016.

Antoine Rozner's dive

It is not Antoine Rozner who will say the opposite. Unfortunately, the Parisian, who had shone the day before for his big debut on the PGA Tour, “stumbled” on Friday, particularly at the end of the game. +1 after 8 holes, the triple winner on the DP World Tour returned a card of 79 which puts him at the bottom of the ranking and condemns him to the feat on Saturday on the La Quinta course.

Small consolation, he is not the only one in this case since the leader of the first round J.T Poston fell 57 places, being unable to do better than 76.

Waiting for Blades Brown

The young American Blades Brownwho turned pro at just 17 years old, is therefore warned. If he got back in the saddle with a card of 64 in the Nicklaus Tournament, his position in the top 40, as the defending champion Nick Dunlapis currently only provisional.

Note that the leader Charley Hoffman, winner here in 2007 of the (Bob Hope Classic), was his captain during the last Junior Presidents Cup.

Le leaderboard

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