NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Ben Griffin went about his business Friday like he was at any other PGA Tour stop, even with so many Ryder Cup teammates around him. He played bogey-free for the second straight day with a 6-under 66 to build a three-shot lead in the Procore Championship.
Two “cup” players were behind him — one of them fellow Ryder Cup rookie Russell Henley (68), the other Jackson Koivun, the top-ranked amateur who went 3-1 last week at Cypress Point to help lead the Americans to a Walker Cup victory.
Koivun hit a 3-iron to 30 inches for eagle on the par-5 12th, hit a tee shot out-of-bounds on the 14th and salvaged a bogey, bounced back with a birdie and wound up with a 66.
Henley lives in Columbus, Georgia — about 30 miles from Auburn where Koivun enters his junior year — and they know each other well.
“I ran into Russell Henley on the range and told him I was going to catch him,” Koivun said “So that was my objective.”
They tied, three behind Griffin, who was at 14-under 130.
J.J. Spaun, the U.S. Open champion who also will be at Bethpage Black, did just enough right for a 68 and was five shots behind along with Lanto Griffin (70).
Silverado has 10 players on the American team, with captain Keegan Bradley checking in on all of them. The victory was getting so many U.S. players to compete and stay sharp, unlike two years ago when so many of them had gone a month without competition before the Ryder Cup.
“I wouldn’t even say my mindset’s been Ryder Cup. I’ve been pretty focused on this golf tournament,” Griffin said. “Without a doubt off the golf course hanging out with the guys and stuff there’s been some Ryder Cup presence, but once I get on the first tee I’m thinking I’m trying to play well here.”
That part is going well. Griffin handled the three par 5s on the back nine, hit a beautiful tee shot to a left pin over a steep bunker on the par-3 second and otherwise endured very little stress on a breezy morning in wine country.
He is one of four Ryder Cup rookies, along with Henley, Spaun and Cameron Young.
Scottie Scheffler had a few more birdies than his opening round, just as much frustration when he didn’t hit it where he was aiming and settled for a ho-hum 68 that left him eight shots behind. Scheffler hasn’t finished worse than eighth since March.
Henley played with Scheffler and Spaun and was the first to move up the board on a good day for scoring until he was held back by a three-putt bogey from 45 feet on the par-4 third hole, and failing to get up-and-down from left of the green at the par-3 seventh.
But his putting has been superb, and the time spent with teammates off the course even better.
“It’s a dream come true being able to play on the team, and getting to play with two teammates this week was really cool these first two days,” Henley said. “Definitely thinking about it a lot, but trying to make sure this is a good week of prep.”
Henley and Scheffler went 2-1 together at the Presidents Cup and were grouped in practice and the weekday rounds for this tournament.
Spaun hasn’t felt he terribly sharp, but he said he was “scraping it around” to post a score.
“It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible,” Spaun said. “I mean, I took advantage of some really good iron shots and made a few putts outside of three feet and called it a day.”
Not so for Griffin.
Some two hours after he was finished, Griffin was a lone figure on the practice green on a gorgeous late summer day in Napa as he worked on his putting.
“This week I’m trying to literally do the same stuff I’m doing,” Griffin said. “I’m trying to stay confident, stay motivated and keep the pedal down.”
All but one of the Ryder Cup players at Silverado have not faced a 36-hole cut since the British Open. Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay were right on the cut line when they finished and made it on the number to extend Ryder Cup preparations two days.
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