Kyle Stanley was in tears on the 18th green after he holed a 5-foot par putt to win the Quicken Loans National in a playoff over Charles Howell III. He wept again in the interview room as he spoke about the long slump between his first and second career victories and the doubts that his game would ever return.

He believed he could win again. But he never really had to think about it until midway through his round on a wild Sunday at TPC Potomac.

“There was some doubt there for a little bit. Yeah, I mean, it’s no fun,” Stanley said, wiping away tears. “You certainly question if you’ll get back … and have a moment like this. It makes this pretty special, for sure.”

On a day when about a dozen players had realistic chances to win, Stanley moved into a share of the lead for the first time with a birdie on the par-5 10th as the leaders faltered behind him. He never had the lead alone until the trophy was his.

Stanley and Howell began the day four shots off the lead, playing together in the fourth-to-last group. Stanley got into the mix with birdies on the fifth, sixth and eight holes, none of the putts longer than 10 feet.

A win in a playoff! ?@KyleStanleyGolf claims the @QLNational as his 2nd career PGA TOUR victory!#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/CA8DWw7LPL

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 2, 2017

Howell nudged ahead momentarily with a 27-footer for eagle on the short par-4 14th, only for Stanley to match him with a two-putt birdie.

Both parred the final four holes to shoot 4-under 66s and finish at 7 under, and no one could catch them. Howell had a 21-foot putt to win on the final hole of regulation that rolled over the left edge of the cup.

Playing the par-4 18th again in the playoff, both missed their tee shots to the right, with Stanley getting lucky to draw a good lie. Both missed the green. Howell’s chip came up short and he missed the 11-foot par putt. Stanley chipped to 5 feet and pumped his fist as the putt dropped.

Stanley’s previous win came in 2012 at the Phoenix Open. Later that year, he was ranked a career-best 47th in the world. He declined steadily after that, bottoming out at No. 683 in May 2015.

Even before this week, he was having his strongest season since that 2012 campaign, with four top-10 finishes and three missed cuts in 19 starts.

For three days, the event had been a staid affair, with a lackluster field, small galleries and steady, sometimes dull golf from David Lingmerth, who led after each of the first three rounds. Tournament host Tiger Woods did not attend while he seeks treatment for his use of prescription drugs.

On Sunday, the crowds were bigger, the course was softer and chaos broke out. Then it started pouring. A pop-up storm temporarily soaked TPC Potomac and doomed the chances of Sung Kang, who didn’t pack any rain gear in his bag and missed a 4-foot birdie putt in the heart of the downpour just before play was stopped for 5 minutes. When play resumed, he hit his tee shot into the water on the par-3 17th.

“It was so unfortunate,” Kang said. “There was a zero percent chance of rain today and it was raining so hard.”

His consolation prize was qualifying for his first British Open. The top four players who weren’t already exempt earned spots, and Kang, who finished in an eight-way tie for fifth, got the final berth because of his world ranking.

The other British Open qualifiers were Stanley, Howell and Martin Laird of Scotland, who closed with a 67. He tied for third at 5 under with Rickie Fowler, who shot a 65.

Fowler embraced his role as the tournament’s star attraction, making a career-best nine birdies, but he lamented the one hole that got away – the easy 14th, where his drive found the water and he made double bogey.

Howell, who hadn’t played in more than two months because of a rib injury, notched his 16th career runner-up finish. He hasn’t won in 10 years and never imagined he’d come so close this week.

“Going into this week I was extremely rusty,” Howell said. “I really can’t believe how well I played.”

Lingmerth coughed up the lead immediately with a bogey on the first hole. His chances ended when he pulled his drive on the punishing par-4 11th into a hazard and made double bogey. He closed with a 73. Daniel Summerhays, who blew a three-shot lead at the Memorial a month ago, moved in front with a birdie on 2 but gave it back with a double bogey on 4. He shot 74.

This win means so much. ?

This emotional interview speaks volumes. ❤️️ pic.twitter.com/mvZCLy3ioz

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 2, 2017

Playing on a sponsor exemption, 20-year-old Australian Curtis Luck also held the lead briefly but coughed it up with bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9. His top-10 finish means he won’t have to use a sponsor exemption at the Greenbrier Classic next week.

Stanley is heading home for a week off before he gears up for Royal Birkdale. At some point the tears will give way to satisfaction.

“I wish I didn’t cry so much, to be honest,” he said. “It just feels good to put the work in and see the rewards. I think that’s where most of the emotion’s coming from.”

Abbotsford native Nick Taylor was T29 at 1 over par.

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David Lingmerth waved his arm disgustedly to the right to warn the gallery after he blocked his tee shot on the tight par-5 10th hole at TPC Potomac. After two shots from the rough, one from a hazard and one from a bunker, he made a 6-footer for bogey to fall to 3 over for the day.

He was still tied for the lead. Minutes later, he led by himself again when Daniel Summerhays bogeyed 11.

It was that kind of day at the Quicken Loans National.

Lingmerth steadied himself after his adventure on 10 and made an aggressive swing with a driver that came off perfectly on the short par-4 14th, leading to a two-putt birdie. The 29-year-old Swede made a sloppy bogey on 17 and managed a 3-over 73 to drop to 7 under and maintain a one-shot over Summerhays.

Spencer Levin, who teed off two hours ahead of Lingmerth, was alone in third at 5 under after the best round of the day, a 65.

There was little wind Saturday, and the greens were softened by a thunderstorm that caused a 90-minute delay, but TPC Potomac played as difficult as ever, showing as much bite as its storied neighbour, Congressional. Saturday ended the same way the first two rounds did _ with Lingmerth atop the leaderboard.

Lingmerth, who came from behind to win a Web.com Tour event at TPC Potomac in 2012, has a chance to go wire-to-wire for his second PGA Tour victory.

“I haven’t had the wire-to-wire scenario in my career, but a lot of great players have won tournaments that way and I would like to do it as well,” he said. “I’m kind of feeling like I’m up for the challenge.”

Lingmerth relied on a fade to avoid trouble off the tee while starting the tournament with back-to-back rounds of 65. On Saturday, it didn’t take long for his go-to shot to abandon him. He yanked his opening tee shot into a fairway bunker, leading to bogey. It was one of four tee shots he missed to the left in the first eight holes, including a driver in the water on the narrow par-4 fourth.

Still, no one managed to get ahead. Geoff Ogilvy’s putter went cold and he didn’t make a birdie in a round of 74. He was still just three shots back, along with a fellow Australian half his age, Curtis Luck, who shot 67, and South Korean Sung Kang, who shot 71. Kyle Stanley and Charles Howell III both shot 67 and were four shots back.

Just 17 players were under par after three rounds.

Summerhays was solid from tee to green but couldn’t get many putts to fall. His only chance to win this season came at the Memorial, where he led by three shots after 54 holes but shot a final-round 78 to tie for 10th. He’s earned $8.4 million in 188 career PGA Tour starts without a victory.

“I struck the ball extremely well,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of great looks, so maybe I just need to persuade that ball into the cup a little bit more.”

Levin has been the PGA Tour’s iron man this season, with little to show for it. He’s making his 25th start and has teed it up in every event he’s been eligible for, making only 10 cuts and failing to record a top-20 finish. At 176th in the FedEx Cup standings, he’s in danger of losing his tour card.

“It was the best round I’ve had all year by far. It’s been a tough year, but the putts have been going in this week, which is obviously why I’m playing well,” Levin said.

Levin, who first gained attention as a cigarette-smoking amateur at the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, has played in 232 events in his PGA Tour career, with his best finish a runner-up in 2011. That was also the year he played in his only British Open.

“I’ve had a chance and have never won, so if I don’t, it wouldn’t be anything new,” Levin said. “But I’m going to go out there with a different mindset. I’m going to try and make putts and see if I can’t do it.”

Even if he doesn’t win, he could earn one of four spots available at this event for the British Open at Royal Birkdale. No player inside the top 18 going into the final round is currently eligible for golf’s next major.

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David Lingmerth knows he won’t have to shoot 20-under par for the week to win at tricky TPC Potomac. After two near-flawless rounds in the Quicken Loans National, he was halfway there.

The 29-year-old Swede, the winner of a Web.com Tour event on the punishing Washington-area layout in 2012, shot his second straight 5-under 65 on Friday to extend his lead to two shots over Geoff Ogilvy.

Lingmerth used his reliable fade off the tee to avoid trouble and set up birdie opportunities. He has gone 34 straight holes without a bogey. His final fade of the day was possibly his best, a 6-iron from 177 yards that he held up against the wind on the par-4 18th. It finished 7 feet from the hole, leading to birdie.

Several players said before the tournament that 10 under might be good enough to win. Lingmerth’s winning score five years ago was 8 under.

“It’s definitely as tough as advertised,” he said. “It happens quite a bit actually that (the) two-round score ends up being pretty close to the final winning score. That’s not necessarily always the case. So I’m hoping to keep plugging away, making more birdies over the weekend.”

Lingmerth hit 12 of 14 fairways on Thursday and 10 of 14 on Friday, and he hit all but five greens in regulation each day. His short game was sharp, too. After his approach came up short on the uphill par-3 12th, he hit a bump-and-run into a steep slope that trickled onto the green and settled inside 2 feet.

The former University of Arkansas player won the 2015 Memorial for his lone PGA Tour title.

Ogilvy played in the first group off the 10th tee and also shot 65.

Daniel Summerhays shot 68 and was alone in third, four shots back. Sung Kang, who shot 69 amid tougher conditions in the afternoon, was five shots back along with Arjun Atwal (67).

Abbotsford B.C., native Nick Taylor is T6 at 4 under par (66-70). Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas Ont.) is T37 at +2. Brantford, Ont., product David Hearn is T47 at 3 over par.

Ogilvy took advantage of calm morning conditions and flawless greens to birdie three of his first four holes. He added birdies from 6 feet on No. 1 and inside 2 feet on Nos. 2 and 4. He finished with an 8-footer for par.

“That 7:15 (tee time) is pretty early. You’ve got to get out of bed pretty early, but once you get out here it’s always nice. It was the perfect morning to play golf,” Ogilvy said. “It’s always nice to be under before you’re over on a course this hard.”

The 2006 U.S. Open champion, who was once ranked No. 3 in the world, now sits at 232 and had to take a one-time exemption for being in the top 50 in career earnings to maintain his PGA Tour playing privileges this season. He missed the U.S. Open for the first time in more than a decade and isn’t in the British Open, either, although that could change this week. The top four players in the Quicken Loans National field who aren’t already exempt will qualify for the British Open, provided that they finish inside the top 12.

“I have to get the job done here,” Ogilvy said. “Back in the day when I was top 50 in the world, you have long-term exemptions, I would have considered going to play France this week.”

No one came close to challenging the leaders in the afternoon as the wind picked up, firming up the already-dry fairways and baking out the greens at TPC Potomac, which is hosting the event for the first time. The cut was 4 over.

Big numbers were easy to come by. Playing in the featured afternoon group with Rickie Fowler, Marc Leishman bogeyed four of his first six holes before rallying on the back nine to shoot 72 and remain in contention, eight shots off the lead. Fowler didn’t make a single birdie in his round of 72. He was 12 shots back.

Justin Thomas, the second-highest-ranked player in the field behind Fowler, couldn’t overcome the quadruple-bogey 9 he made on the 10th hole Thursday. He missed his second straight cut and hasn’t broken par since his record-tying 63 in the third round of the U.S. Open.

Russell Henley, who shot 67 on Thursday, made nine bogeys and was 10 shots worse on Friday. He still made the cut on the number.

Atwal is playing on a sponsor’s exemption from the tournament host who happens to be a good friend _ Tiger Woods, who is skipping this year’s tournament while he seeks treatment for his use of prescription drugs.

“I’ve been talking to him almost every day, and obviously he’s one of my better best friends as I would say. He wants me to play well,” Atwal said. “I’m hoping I won’t let him down.”

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David Lingmerth is one of a few players in the Quicken Loans National field with any memories to draw on at TPC Potomac – and they’re the best kind of memories.

The winner of a 2012 Web.com Tour event on the tight, tricky layout near Washington, Lingmerth once again relied on his accuracy off the tee Thursday to shoot a 5-under 65 and take the first-round lead.

The 29-year-old Swede, who doesn’t have a top 10 finish on the PGA Tour this season, hit 12 of 14 fairways, which tied for best in the field. Starting on the back nine in the afternoon, he made five birdies in a seven-hole stretch beginning at the 13th hole, three of them from inside 7 feet.

“I feel like that’s kind of one of my strengths, a thing I pride myself in, hitting a lot of fairways,” Lingmerth said. “I like this type of golf course when you can see the definition, you can zone in on your targets. You’ve really got to stay committed off the tee.”

He won the 2015 Memorial Tournament for his lone PGA Tour title.

Troy Merritt, the winner two years ago at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, was a stroke back along with Marc Leishman, Johnson Wagner, Sung Kang, Nick Taylor and Daniel Summerhays.

Taylor, from Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian.

Well, that was fast.

6 holes in and Nick Taylor (@NTaylorGolf59) leads.

• ?(3 ft.)
• ?(5 ft.)
• ? (21 ft.)
• Par
• ?(6 ft.)
• ? (7 ft.) pic.twitter.com/sz7sZxAsHf

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 29, 2017

TPC Potomac is hosting the event for the first time and has been extensively redesigned since it last welcomed the PGA Tour in 2006. It presented a stern test amid sunny, breezy conditions Thursday. Slight misses off the tee were punished severely and, as the weather heated up, even wedge shots were bouncing and releasing on the greens.

Leishman, the big-hitting Australian who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year, welcomed the challenge.

“It’s getting pretty baked, which is great. It feels a lot like Melbourne, actually,” Leishman said. “You can hear that real, you know, the hard sound when the ball hits the green. You’ve got that purplish colour, especially by the end of the day. It’s great. I’m enjoying it.”

On the 626-yard, par-5 second hole, Leishman’s 355-yard drive left him with a decision that few players had to confront. He watched his playing partners lay up and waited for the green to clear. He pulled out a 3-wood and then put it back in the bag. He also considered laying up with a 9-iron.

Ultimately, he settled on a 3-iron that he pulled slightly into a massive bunker in front of the green. No worries, though: He blasted out to 12 feet and made the putt for birdie.

The Quicken Loans is a home game of sorts for Leishman, who lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He drove his own car to the Washington area Tuesday and is staying with friends. His wife, Audrey, is home with their two sons. She’s also expecting their third child, due next week. Two years ago, Audrey nearly died from toxic shock syndrome

“We were just hoping she would survive and she survived, and we were hoping she would get somewhere back to full strength and she’s done that,” Leishman said. “Yeah, pretty exciting time for the Leishmans. Hopefully, she’ll hold out until next week and we can finish this tournament and go home and be a dad for a couple weeks.”

Leishman played alongside Rickie Fowler, the top draw at a tournament that is missing most of golf’s stars. Fowler was 3 over through two holes but rallied with four birdies to get back to even par after his first nine. He saved par from 8 feet on the sixth hole and 14 feet on the eighth to shoot 70.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., was tied for 15th at 2-under 68. David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., were tied for 49th at 1-over 71 and Adam Hadwin, also from Abbotsford, was tied for 66th at 2-over 72.

Holing out from everywhere.

Have a day, @MacHughesGolf!#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/rBETxDSoYk

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 29, 2017

Wagner reaped the rewards of a four-hour practice session Wednesday. At one point he was hitting mid-iron shots from the short-game area through a gap in the trees to the driving range while caddie Matt Hauser watched. They’d come up with a swing thought that was working and he wanted to hit a few more balls.

“I’ve just been struggling with really striking the golf ball the last few months,” Wagner said. “Finally we hit something that really, I could repeat in my head out there today.”

The former Virginia Tech player was back on the putting green Thursday afternoon, grinding over 75-footers. At 140th in the FedEx Cup standings, he could use a big week to lock up his PGA Tour card for next season.

“I’ve been in this situation a bunch,” Wagner said, “and I’m not overly stressed about it.”

The intensity of his practice suggested otherwise.

Brantford Ont., native David Hearn and Weyburn Sask., product Graham DeLaet are T49 at 1 over par.

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Jordan Spieth needed an extra hole, a little bit of luck and an amazing final shot to finish off a wire-to-wire victory in the Travelers Championship.

The two-time major champion holed out from 60 feet for birdie from a greenside bunker on the first hole of a playoff with Daniel Berger on Sunday at TPC River Highlands.

The 23-year-old Texan joined Tiger Woods as the only PGA Tour players with 10 victories in the era since World War II. Woods won 15 times before he turned 24.

“That was one for the ages,” said Spieth, also the winner at Pebble Beach in February.

Spieth held a one-stroke edge after each of the first three rounds. He closed with an even-par 70 to match Berger – who birdied three of the final six holes for a 67 – at 12-under 268.

.@JordanSpieth has won the @TravelersChamp in INCREDIBLE fashion.

UNBELIEVABLE! #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/qkeeaCg3ye

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 25, 2017

Berger, the Memphis winner two weeks ago before missing the cut last week at the U.S. Open, just missed a 50-foot putt from off the 18th green left that would have forced a second playoff hole.

“Jordan does Jordan things,” Berger said. “So there’s not really much you can say. I’m obviously disappointed, but happy to be in the position I was in today.”

Berger began the round in third place, three shots back. He tied Spieth for a lead with a 5-foot birdie putt on 15 as Spieth was making bogey on 14 and tied him again with a birdie from 8 feet at 17.

The pair, playing a group apart, both hit their approach shots on 18 into the same greenside bunker. Both chipped out close to the hole and both saved par to force the playoff.

Berger hit his drive on the first playoff hole left and into the crowd behind a fairway bunker. Spieth seemed to clip a tree left landing in the fairway but about 150 yards short of his normal drive and 230 yards from the hole.

Spieth’s approach fell into bunker. Berger’s ran off the green to the left.

Spieth had to back up after hitting his bunker shot to see the hole. When the ball rolled straight in the cup he threw his club and did a flying chest bump into caddie Michael Greller.

“If I was in Berger’s shoes, I be cursing Jordan Spieth right now for the break off the tee and then holing a 30-yard bunker shot, that’s a lot of luck,” Spieth said.

Spieth didn’t waste any time extending his lead to three strokes Sunday. He hit his approach shot to 6 feet on the first hole and made the birdie putt, then made a 5-footer at No. 2. But those would be his final two birdies until a 16-footer on the 15th hole.

He also survived a couple of big scares. The first came when his drive on 13 went right but stuck on the side of a hill to stay out of the water. He missed a 7-foot birdie putt, but saved par.

He then hit his tee shot on the 15th left, just avoiding the water and the hazard line in the rough. He chipped to the middle of the green and made a 16-foot putt for birdie, which he thought he had missed. .

His second shot at 17 also looked as if it might hit the course’s signature lake, but landed just on the edge of the green and he made par.

“That’s a lot of luck,” Spieth said. “But I took advantage of the good breaks and am happy to come out on top.”

He’s the third player to go wire-to-wire alone in the lead at the Connecticut event. Gene Littler did it in 1959 and Tim Morris in 1982. Spieth’s only other wire-to-wire win was the 2015 Masters.

Sunday’s win was also his first win in a tournament debut. The last player to win in Cromwell in his first start was Phil Blackmar in 1985.

Charley Hoffman (66) and Danny Lee (67) tied for third, three strokes back.

David Hearn (69) of Brantford, Ont., was the low Canadian, tying for eighth at 8 under.

Mackenzie Hughes (66) of Dundas, Ont., tied for 17th at 6 under, Graham DeLaet (68) of Weyburn, Sask., was in a group at 26th at 5 under, Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch (68) was 3 under to tie for 43rd and Adam Hadwin (71) of Abbotsford, B.C., was at 1 under to tie for 57th.

Boo Weekley, who began the round a shot back in second place, shot 37 on the back nine to tie for fifth at 9 under, despite the support of a large gallery, which could be heard cheering “Boooo!” and “Boo-S-A!” every time he did something good.

Rory McIlroy tried to find his short game this week and used his third putter Sunday to help him shoot a 64, his lowest round on the tour this season. He tied for 17th at 6 under.

“I must say I felt a little more comfortable on the greens than I did the previous three days,” McIlroy said. “So, this might be one that stays (in the bag) for a few weeks.”

Defending champion Russell Knox had a poor round, with six bogeys on his first 10 holes. He shot a 73 to finish at even par.

Greyson Murray had the tournament’s only hole-in-one, acing the 177 yard eighth hole with an 8-iron. It also was the first on tour for the 23-year-old North Carolinian. He shot a 68 to finish at 5 under.

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Jordan Spieth continues to play just a little better than anyone else at the Travelers Championship.

The 23-year-old Texan closed with a 20-foot birdie putt for a 4-under 66 on Saturday, giving him a one-stroke lead for the third straight round at TPC River Highlands.

After predicting earlier that it would take a score of 16 under to win, the two-time major champion took a 12-under 198 total into the final round.

Boo Weekley was second after a 65. The 43-year-old Weekley, playing just in front of Spieth, birdied five of the last eight holes, basking in the chants of “Boooo! Boooo!” from the raucous gallery.

Spieth bogeyed Nos. 13 and 14, but matched Weekley with three birdies on the final four holes, capping it with the final shot of the round from below the hole.

“It’s in the shadow,” Spieth said. “I’m looking to hit the putt at the right speed. If it goes in, great, if it doesn’t, so be it, tap it in. With a few feet to go it was going to have a chance and it curled right in the middle. That was a loud roar, and those are really fun to experience.

Weekley is looking for his fourth tour title and first since 2013. The colorful Floridian said he’s been dealing with personal issues, but declined to elaborate. His had a season-best tie for 37th at the Puerto Rico Open in March and has made just eight cuts in 21 events.

Spieth is looking for his 10th tour win and second this season after a victory in February at Pebble Beach.

Weekley acknowledged that makes for an odd final pairing Sunday.

“He loves to fish, so we’ve got a little in common there,” Weekley said. “So we can talk about that.”

Daniel Berger, looking for his second victory of the month, was three strokes back after a 66.

C.T. Pan (64), David Lingmerth (65) and Paul Casey (66) were 8 under.

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., is five shots back at 7 under after a 66. Graham DeLaet (72) of Weyburn, Sask., is 3 under, Adam Hadwin (68) of Abbotsford, B.C., is 2 under and Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch (72) is 1 under.

Because of morning showers, the players went off in threesomes from both the first and 10th tees. But the breeze helped the greens quickly dry out and play faster than had been expected.

Pan, who went out just after the rain ended, and shot a bogey-free round. The 25-year old former University of Washington star is looking for his third top-10 finish this season and his first since finishing second at Torrey Pines in January.

“It wasn’t as windy, so I made birdies on three of my first four holes,” Pan said. “That really helped my mindset and keep my momentum going.”

Spieth hit his first six fairways and got his first birdie of the day on the sixth hole, when he chipped in from 30 feet behind the green. He made another birdie on the next hole, before giving a shot back at No. 9. He repeated that pattern on the back nine, making birdies at 10 and 11 to go up by two strokes, then put his tee shot into the water at 13. He bogeyed that hole and 14.

But on 15, his chip from the greenside bunker landed inches from the hole and he had another birdie.

Spieth has a chance to join Phil Blackmar (1985) as the only players to win in their first start at the Connecticut event. He’s also trying to become the first player to lead wire-to-wire alone in the event since Tim Norris in 1982 at Wethersfield. Peter Jacobsen had at least a share of the lead after every round in 2003.

Berger had just one bogey, at the 17th, but came back with the last of his five birdies on the final hole. He won in Memphis two weeks ago before missing the cut at the U.S. Open, which was won by his Florida State teammate, Brooks Koepka. Another former Seminole teammate, Chase Seiffert, was in contention at 4 under after qualifying for the tournament Monday.

Rory McIlroy remained at even par. He’s been trying to find his short game this week and decided to switch Saturday from the putter he began using while at the U.S. Open. He spent time before his round on the practice green with several different putters before picking a new one.

The change didn’t seem to help. His first putt Saturday, a birdie attempt from 12 feet, went 3 feet past the hole and he needed 33 putts during his round of 70. He was even par overall.

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Jordan Spieth played well enough in the second round of the Travelers Championship to stay in the lead. Rory McIlroy played just well enough to stay in the tournament.

Spieth shot a 1-under 69 on Friday morning, then watched as a windy afternoon kept anyone from overtaking him.

The conditions also kept fourth-ranked Jason Day from making the cut for a second straight week. He bogeyed the 18th for a 70 to finish at 2 over. No. 3 McIlroy shot a 73, also closing with a bogey, but managed to just sneak into the weekend at even par.

Spieth, who began the day one shot ahead after a first-round 63, started on the back nine. The 23-year-old Texan had to recover from a double bogey on the par-5 13th hole after hitting his tee shot left and out-of-bounds. He also had four birdies and a bogey to reach 8 under.

“We’ve been kind of far behind in a lot of the events in making comeback runs,” said Spieth, the two-time major champion who tied for 35th last week in the U.S. Open. “But being able to be toward the front of the pack on a Saturday afternoon is a beautiful position to be in and one that we’ll certainly embrace. I’m going to try to have a lot of fun this weekend.”

Patrick Reed (66) and Troy Merritt (68) were tied for second. Both fought off wind gusts that exceeded 20 mph to hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens.

“A golf course like this, even when the wind is blowing, if you’re hitting your tee shots straight, you’re going to have some wedges into the greens,” Reed said.

A 1-under 69 has @JordanSpieth still atop the leaderboard after his second round at @TravelersChamp. pic.twitter.com/uboe9gA3Va

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 23, 2017

U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka isn’t in Connecticut this week, but former Florida State teammate Chase Seiffert is in contention. The 25-year-old had to qualify Monday to get into the tournament. He made two eagles Friday and finished with a 66 to reach 6 under.

“I came into the week with no status on any tour, but I knew my game was really good,” Seiffert said. “I just had to get it done. To come out and play the first two rounds the way I did, it gives me a lot of confidence.

Wesley Bryan (67), Daniel Summerhays (68) and Boo Weekley (68) also were 5 under.

Graham DeLaet (Weyburn, Sask.) led briefly during the afternoon, but had a double bogey on 18 for a 70 to drop into the group at 5 under.

Eighty-five players made the cut and 68 finished within seven shots of the lead.

The biggest drama of the afternoon was watching the world’s third- and fourth-ranked players try to make it to the weekend.

Day was close, until he hit his second shot at 18 into a greenside bunker. He failed to get up and down, missing a 6-footer for par.

McIlroy seemed to be in good shape on 18. He was on the right edge of the fairway and looking at a second shot 105 yards from the hole. But he slipped during the swing and the ball went just 63 yards and farther right.

“My right foot completely came out from under me,” he said. “Obviously, there was a tiny bit of drizzle. Maybe a little bit of surface water. Just, I don’t know. It was weird. As soon as I started down, I just felt it and I couldn’t stop.”

No. 4: Par-4, 477 yards.@McIlroyRory yards to hole: 84! #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/AlpRpFJC0B

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 23, 2017

McIlroy may have saved his tournament on the 13th. After hitting his first shot in the water and taking a drop, he hit his third shot to 17 feet and made par. He then putted in from off the green on 14. McIlroy, who didn’t qualify for the weekend at Erin Hills, hasn’t missed consecutive cuts since 2012.

“I won’t be thinking about trying to win the tournament from there,” he said. I’ll be thinking about trying to go and play a good, solid round of golf. But we have seen here in the past guys going out and shooting a low score and getting themselves back into the tournament.“

Anirban Lahiri of India, playing his first tournament since tying for second at the Memorial, shot a bogey-free 63 to move to 4 under. He made a 32-foot eagle putt on No. 13.

“I was out (since the Memorial) meditating,” he said. “So I’ve been a little bit rusty. The body is kind of easing its way back in. So I think I’m going to get better as the week progresses.”

Two-time Travelers champion Bubba Watson, who missed the cut at Erin Hills, will have another weekend off. He followed up a 75 in the first round with a 67 and finished at 2 over.

Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ont.) and David Hearn (Brantford, Ont.), and Brad Fritsch (Ottawa, Ont,) are T27 at 3-under-par.

Weather could also affect the scoring Saturday. A forecast of rain led tournament officials to move the start of the third round back to 11 a.m., with the players going out in threesomes off the first and 10th tees.

For the full leaderboard click here.

Jordan Spieth didn’t take long to figure out TPC River Highlands.

Making his debut at the Connecticut course, the 23-year-old Texan had eight birdies and a bogey Thursday for a 7-under 63 and a one-stroke lead in the Travelers Championship.

Spieth birdied five of the first eight holes and took sole possession of the lead on the final hole, hitting a wedge to 4 feet for birdie on the par-4 18th.

“Being 3 under through four it helps you walk a little easier, it helps kind of the shots you are playing throughout the round,” Spieth said. “You don’t feel like you have to take as many chances and I was able to play away from pins when I was in a little bit of trouble.”

The two-time major champion tied for 35th on Sunday in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

Johnson Wagner and Brett Stegmaier, a Connecticut native who grew up about 25 miles from the course in Madison, were tied for second.

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., was tied for fourth after shooting a 65. David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot a 67. Hearn is T19 alongside Dundas, Ont., native Mackenzie Hughes.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., and Ottawa’s David Fritsch had 70’s and Nick Taylor, also of Abbotsford, shot a 71.

Another strong start for @GrahamDeLaet at the @TravelersChamp.

He's contending again with a 5-under 65. pic.twitter.com/eDlJuF4NWK

— Mackenzie Tour (@PGATOURCanada) June 22, 2017

The 33-year-old Stegmaier said he decided to become a professional golfer while in the gallery at the tournament in 2000, watching Notah Begay sink a 25-foot birdie putt to win. It was his fourth appearance at the Travelers and his first sub-par round.

“To be here now, it’s almost a little surreal,” Stegmaier said. “Just being on tour, I realize it’s not the greatest thing in the world, because it’s still a job. You still got to grind and there’s low points. But with the right perspective, to be here now talking to you guys, it’s pretty cool.”

Stegmaier, who missed six cuts in his last seven tournaments, had seven birdies in a nine-hole stretch in the middle of the round and closed with a bogey on No. 9.

Wagner was first into the clubhouse with a 64. He chipped in from 70 feet on his opening hole.

“It was a nice way to start and kind much calmed me down and kind of let me know today was going to be my day,” he said.

DeLaet and Troy Merritt shot 65.

Rory McIlroy, also playing for the first time at TPC River Highlands, had a 67. The third-ranked McIlroy started early on the back nine drawing large galleries before 8 a.m.

He was still experimenting with the putter he began using while missing the cut at the U.S. Open and missed five short birdie putts Thursday. But he finished with just one bogey. That came on No. 18 when he missed a 13-foot birdie putt by 3 feet, then lipped out his par attempt.

“I feel like I could have been at least three or four better, said McIlroy, who said he’s giving the new putter one more week to begin working. ”I think I hit five or six putts out there that hit the hole and didn’t go in.“

The tournament’s strong field includes Spieth, McIlroy and fourth-ranked Jason Day.

Day, who like McIlroy missed the cut at the U.S. Open, shot a 72. Two-time Travelers champion Bubba Watson had a 75.

Spieth said he felt as if he built off what at the time seemed like a meaningless 69 in the final round at Erin Hills.

“I thought that was a round just like this,” he said. “I thought I played as well or even better than I did today.”

A 7-under 63 in his debut at the @TravelersChamp.@JordanSpieth has finished with sole possession of the lead. pic.twitter.com/5GbEZ6Du33

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 22, 2017

He had to overcome several distractions Thursday including a delay at the sixth hole while paramedics attended to a fan who had passed out.

The incident came several weeks after Spieth said he witnessed a fan die during the pro-am at the Memorial in Ohio.

“It’s bizarre that that happens, but fortunately this lady, she got up and seemed to be just fine after she kind of cooled down for a little while and the paramedics came,” he said. “I mean, there’s more important things than golf. But, it didn’t bother us.”

Jim Furyk, like playing partner McIlroy, shot a 67. Furyk was playing his first round in Cromwell since setting a tour record with a 58 in the final round last year. He said fans were shouting at him all day to go for 57.

“Rory joked off the 10th we might hear 40s before we’re done,” he said. “It was a fun round and it’s great to come back.”

For the full leaderboard click here.

Dundas, Ont., native Mackenzie Hughes can qualify for his first career British Open this week with a strong performance at the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

After the Travelers the R&A will offer spots to the five highest-ranked players in the top-20 of the FedEx Cup standings not already in the British Open field.

Currently there are four players inside the top-20 who fall under that category: Brian Harman No. 10, Brendan Steele No. 13, Russell Henley No. 18, and Hughes No. 20.

If the 26-year-old Hughes maintains his top-20 ranking the PGA TOUR rookie will be heading to his third career major.

Four weeks to go until battle commences for the Claret Jug.?️ pic.twitter.com/Rq7VC0adEr

— The Open (@TheOpen) June 22, 2017

The Kent State alumnus played in the 2017 Masters on the strength of his first career PGA TOUR victory at the RSM Classic in November. His other major appearance came at the 2013 U.S. Open after going through sectional qualifying.

Hughes’ rookie season has had its ups-and-downs.

After starting strong with three top-25 finishes in his first six events – Hughes has managed just two in his last 16 starts.

Hughes’ best result of late was a T16 at The Players Championship in May where he held a share of the lead through 18 holes thanks to a bogey-free 67.

Adam Hadwin from Abbotsford, B.C., is currently the lone Canadian in the field.

Wesley Bryan (No. 22 in the FedEx Cup standings) Hudson Swafford (No. 26), and Charley Hoffman (No. 30) are also in the mix for British Open spots this week.

For the full Travelers Championship leaderboard click here.

Together for 25 years and more than 600 golf tournaments, Phil Mickelson and caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay are moving on.

In a surprising email just two days after the U.S. Open that Mickelson didn’t play, they said the decision to part ways was mutual and not based on any one incident.

“We just feel it’s the right time for a change,” Mickelson said.

They were apart the last time they were together. Mickelson was home in California to attend his daughter’s high school graduation, while Mackay was at Erin Hills in Wisconsin taking notes and scouting the course just in case a weather delay would have allowed Mickelson to make his tee time.

Statement from Phil regarding Bones breakup. #damn pic.twitter.com/9pJfJvXQfN

— Jay Coffin (@JayCoffinGC) June 20, 2017

“Player-caddie relationships don’t often last that long,” Mackay said. “I will always be grateful that I was around to witness so much of Phil’s career.”

Mackay previously caddied for Larry Mize and Scott Simpson when he was hired in 1992 to work for Mickelson, who had won a PGA Tour event while at Arizona State. Their first event was a U.S. Open qualifier, and Mickelson shot rounds of 69-63.

They were together for 45 victories worldwide, including five majors, and every Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup team since 1994.

“When Phil hired me in 1992, I had one dream: to caddie in a Ryder Cup,” Mackay said. “Last year, at Hazeltine, Phil played in his 11th straight Ryder Cup. It was so cool to have a front row seat. I wish Phil nothing but the best. His game is still at an elite level, and when he wins in the future (definitely the Masters), I will be among the first to congratulate him.”

Mackay is not retiring as a caddie, though he had no immediate plans. He is coming off double knee replacement surgery during the last off-season.

Mickelson said his brother, Tim Mickelson, would caddie for him the rest of the year. Tim Mickelson is the agent for Jon Rahm, and he filled in for his big brother during the Mexico Championship when Mackay went down with a stomach virus.

Rare was the occasion when Mickelson was playing a tournament with someone other than Mackay on his bag.

Steve Loy’s, Mickelson’s coach at Arizona State and now his manager, was on the bag for the 1993 Tucson Open. Mickelson took his college roommate, Rob Mangini, to Japan in 1995. Those were the only two times Mackay did not caddie for him.

“Bones is one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated caddies in the world,” Mickelson said. “He is always prepared and has the ability to make decisions in pressure-packed situations. Bones is without a doubt one of the most thoughtful people that I have ever known. The next player to work with him will obviously be very lucky.”

Phil and Bones have officially split.

It doesn’t get any better than this exchange from 2012. pic.twitter.com/zll38kLHsh

— Skratch (@Skratch) June 20, 2017

Mackay also was there for some of Mickelson’s unpredictable decisions, such as trying to hit out of the rough, under a tree and over the water at Bay Hill, or trying to play a fairway metal out of the rough at a major.

Mickelson allowed him only one “veto” a year, a chance to talk Lefty out of a shot.

“I do want to say for the record that I did not use my ‘veto’ this year,” Mackay said. “I would like to pass it along to Tim, in all its glory.”

No chance. Mickelson said vetoes are “non-transferrable.”

The player-caddie relationship extended far beyond the golf course. Mackay flew to San Diego in 2009 to spend time with his boss after Mickelson discovered that his wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mackay met his wife, Jen, through Amy Mickelson and they have two children. They live in Scottsdale, Arizona, where Mackay is a member at Whisper Rock.

“He has been one of the most important and special people in my life since the day we met and I will always be grateful for everything he has done for me,” Mickelson said. “Amy and I, and our children, will always think of Bones, Jen, Oliver and Emma as family. We are looking forward to sharing life and friendship with them forever.”