Thomas Detry left Torrey Pines final week with a bitter style in his mouth. He had contended for many of the championship, however struggled to shut out his third and closing rounds with success.
The precise reverse occurred on Thursday at Spyglass Hill, the place Detry completed birdie-birdie-birdie to shoot a 9-under 63. He has a one-shot lead over Patrick Cantlay on the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am.
“I felt like I used to be driving it nice on the market,” Detry stated of Thursday’s spherical. “I didn’t actually have any misses. I drove it far as nicely. The tough is moist and heavy, so that you’ve obtained to be within the fairways, which paid off, to be trustworthy.”
Detry discovered 11-of-14 fairways, together with the 18th.
However he made a large mistake on Spyglass Hill’s closing gap. He pushed his strategy shot to the suitable of the inexperienced, and his ball discovered the gnarly, damp tough. A tricky up-and-down loomed.
The Belgian then chipped in for birdie, which vaulted him into the lead by himself.
Thomas Detry chips in to take the solo lead!!!
He was in jail to the suitable of the 18th inexperienced, however obtained out of there scot-free.
He’s -9 now, and can head to Pebble Seaside on Friday with a one shot lead over Cantlay. #PebbleBeachProAm pic.twitter.com/OaK1eLsshN
— Taking part in Via (@_PlayingThrough) February 2, 2024
“The greens are delicate; it was an uphill lie; I felt fairly comfy I might put it inside three ft, to be trustworthy,” Detry stated of his chip-in.
“And it rolled properly, simply trickled within the gap. It was pretty to look at… The strategy shot wasn’t that nice; I felt like I didn’t hit my quick irons that nicely at this time. I imply, it was nonetheless fairly good; I’m not going to complain. I shot 9-under; it was an awesome spherical of golf.”
Final week, Detry began the championship with a 6-under 66. He then carded a 4-under 68 for his second spherical and located himself taking part in within the closing group for the third spherical.
Then, on Friday, he dunked his third shot into the pond in need of the 18th inexperienced on Torrey Pines’ South Course. That appeared to have crushed his confidence going into Saturday’s closing spherical, and Detry finally completed in a tie for twentieth.
“I’m not going to lie; final weekend was a troublesome capsule to swallow. I performed some nice golf, and I didn’t have the end I wished to,” Detry stated.
“I used to be in competition the entire weekend aside from the final 5 or 6 holes. So I’m completely satisfied that I didn’t let it have an effect on me. So I used to be capable of construct up on that good play, hold increase on that confidence, and hopefully hold the momentum going for the subsequent couple of years.”
Fortunately for Detry, he didn’t stroll off Spyglass Hill Thursday feeling down. As a substitute, his confidence has returned as he leads the second Signature Occasion of the season after the opening spherical.
Discuss bouncing again, and he did so because of a spectacular end—a powerful accomplishment, understanding how final week panned out.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Make sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.