The first-round leader in a golf tournament has a tendency to fade every now and again, but not often do they miss out on the weekend entirely. That’s exactly what happened to Jordan Spieth at the 2023 Sony Open. After sharing the lead with Chris Kirk and Taylor Montgomery in Round 1 with a 6-under 64, Spieith signed for a 5-over 75 in his second round. Missing the cut by a single stroke, Spieth essentially predicted his own demise following the first round.

“I believe I can shoot 5 or 6 under each day out here,” Spieth said on Thursday. “Not to say that that means it’ll happen, but there are other times I would be sitting there going, ‘How do I hold this sh-t together,’ to be honest. Seriously.”

He couldn’t keep it together enough on Friday, and in the process joined a short list of players to plummet from the top of the leaderboard over the course of one round. Spieth became the 10th man since 2010 (and second in the last four years) to miss the cut after holding the first-round lead. As a result, he will take his RV back to the mainland United States where he will tee it up next.

In his place, Chris Kirk has emerged as the solo leader at the 36-hole mark. Standing at 11 under, the former Georgia Bulldog holds a narrow lead over J.J. Spaun and Taylor Montgomery at 10 under. With a number of unproven players in the chasing pack, a life-changing opportunity to enter the winner’s circle has emerged at Waialae Country Club.

The leader

1. Chris Kirk (-11)

Three years ago, Kirk was fighting for his job at the Sony Open. In need of a T3 finish or better, Kirk delivered in the clutch by making birdie on the 72nd hole to secure a T2 result and retaining his PGA Tour card. With a brand new perspective on life, Kirk is now in position to snag his first Tour title in 2,791 days.

“I don’t know if it helps or not, but it definitely helps when I get done playing,” said Kirk on finding peace in his game. “I am able to not judge myself for who I am as a professional golfer. I am able to have my life as a person and my life as professional golfer are two completely independent things. 

“I am able to wake up every day and know that I am doing the right things, that I’m working hard, that I love my family and I am doing the best for them and that all that really matters,” he continued. “Whether you shoot 65 or 75 — you know the 65’s are a lot more fun, I’m not going to lie — but it just puts everything into the right perspective.”

Other contenders

T2. Taylor Montgomery, J.J. Spaun (-10)

T4. Hayden Buckley, David Lipsky (-9)

T6. Ben Taylor, Austion Eckroat, S.H. Kim (-8)

T9. Denny McCarthy, Stephan Jaegar, J.T. Poston, Brendon Todd, Ben Griffin, Maverick McNealy (-7)

Through the first 10 events of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season, there has only been one first-time winner: Adam Svensson at the RSM Classic. With titans like Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Tom Kim all winning thus far, the lack of big names this weekend will present a golden chance for a budding star to change the trajectory of his career.

There are 10 winless competitors currently inside the top 15, all of whom will take their crack at raising their first trophy. Winning on the PGA Tour is not easy, and Rookie of the Year front runner Taylor Montgomery put into context just how good these guys truly are in a funny, self-depreciating way after his second round.

“I would say yesterday’s round [was more enjoyable] just because, I mean, I felt like I hit my irons really good,” said Montgomery. “Then I looked at the strokes gained approach and I was like dead even. I’m like, how good are these damn guys with their irons? Like I don’t know. Just an area that I really want to improve … like I think I was 80th and I felt like I hit my irons awesome.”

South Korean stars sent packing early

While Spieth’s demise was more public and a bit of a rollercoaster to say the least, he was not the only favorite to fall short of expectations. The two men who occupied the top two spots on the odds board to begin the week will not be around for the weekend, either. Young superstars Tom Kim and Sungjae Im were unable to get the ball rolling at Waialae CC and ultimately missed the cut in their second starts of the new year.

For Kim, this is his first missed cut since the PGA Championship last May and his first missed cut as a full-time member of the PGA Tour. As for Im, this represents only his fourth missed cut in the last 25 worldwide starts. Both players will look to bounce back quickly at next week’s The American Express in Palm Springs.

2023 Sony Open updated odds and picks

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

• Taylor Montgomery: 4-1
• Chris Kirk: 9/2
• J.J. Spaun: 11/2
• Hayden Buckley: 12-1
• David Lipsky: 16-1
• J.T. Poston: 18-1
• Maverick McNealy: 22-1
• Denny McCarthy: 30-1
• S.H. Kim: 35-1
• Brendon Todd: 35-1
• Ben Taylor: 35-1
• Stephan Jaegar: 35-1

There is certainly some unknown with the names listed above. Only Kirk, Spaun, Poston and Todd have won on the PGA Tour before, two of those names pique my interest. I have been keen on Spaun from the start of the week, and if not for an errant tee shot on the par-5 9th, he would be leading this golf tournament. He remains a fair price — as does Poston, who looks to be in form to make a weekend run from four strokes back.

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