BRAINERD, Minn. – Claiming two wins on the PGA Tour Americas over his first three starts in 2024, Denmark’s Frederik Kjettrup put himself in position to claim his third victory of the season by firing a 7-under 63 Friday at Cragun’s Legacy Course to take the 36-hole lead at the 2024 CRMC Championship presented by Gertens.
Kjettrup played his first four holes in 5-under and birdied three of his final four to open up a five-stroke advantage over Neal Shipley and Joey Vrzich ahead of Saturday’s third round.
“I’ve been hitting the ball really good—hitting my driver really good, too, keeping the ball in the fairway and having short-irons and wedges into the par-5s makes it a little bit easier,” Kjettrup said following his second round Friday. “There’re still two more rounds of golf. Hopefully, I can go out and ball-strike it the way I have been the first two days.
“I’m starting to see my ball-striking getting better, and that’s always been my strong suit. It’s nice to see that come back a little bit. When the putts drop, you’re going to shoot low scores.”
After sinking a 35-footer for birdie at the first, Kjettrup holed out his approach from 95 yards at the second to quickly move to 11-under for the championship.
Converting an 8-footer for birdie at the third, Kjettrup then two-putted for birdie at the fourth to get to 13-under for the championship.
Slowed by a three-putt bogey at the ninth, Kjettrup finished with a flurry, carding three birdies over his last four holes to expand his lead to five with a second-round 63.
“I ran out of steam a little bit and started feeling tired around the turn,” said Kjettrup, who played 28 holes of golf Friday. “Not since college, probably. Pro golf you don’t often play that much, so I’m definitely feeling it.”
A pair of late birdies lifted Neal Shipley to a round of 67 during his second round Friday to move him into a share of second with Joey Vrzich at 10-under 130.
“The wind picked up in the second round and it was a lot tougher, but still played really solid and finished strong with two birdies,” said Shipley, who is coming off a runner-up finish at last week’s CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open. “I was getting a little frustrated coming in, hit a lot of good shots, and hit a lot of really good putts that were burning edges. Seemed like a lot of stuff wasn’t going my way today.
“I’m feeling great for the weekend, I’m going to be a few shots behind, but I’m still in a great position with a lot of golf to play. I’ve been playing really good golf—good golf travels no matter what course you’re playing."
Carding two birdies against one bogey during his first seven holes Friday, a steady Shipley carded nine consecutive pars before wedging two approaches to tap-in distance at the 17th and 18th to move within five shots of Kjettrup’s lead at 130.
“Winning is one of those things that takes care of itself when you stay patient and continue to put in a lot of good work."
Making six cuts in his seven PGA Tour starts this season, Shipley most recently finished tied for 37th at the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities last month.
Finishing as low amateur at both this season’s Masters Tournament and U.S. Open, Shipley became one of just six players to accomplish the feat, joining elite company in Ken Venturi (1956), Jack Nicklaus (1960), Phil Mickelson (1991), Matt Kuchar (1998) and Viktor Hovland (2019).
Since turning professional following his appearance at Pinehurst in June, Shipley has earned more than $295,000 in winnings.
Finishing his second round on a sour note with back-to-back bogeys, 2024 Minnesota State Open champion Carson Herron fired a 67 Friday to sit tied for eighth at 7-under 133 after two rounds of play to lead local players at the championship this week.
Herron, a senior at the University of New Mexico, carded three birdies during his opening nine to reach 7-under for the championship.
After converting his birdie opportunity at his 10th hole, Herron would get to 5-under for his round with a birdie at his 13th before failing to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker at his 17th.
He finished the round with a three-putt bogey to post a second-round 67, well inside the weekend cut at 7-under 133 in his first PGA Tour Americas debut.
“I didn’t have any expectations. Just tried to go have fun and learn some stuff here,” Herron said after his second round Friday. “There are a bunch of guys here I know from college and it’s really competitive.
“Hitting a bunch of good shots, but didn’t putt how I wanted to the last two days. All my birdies were close range and a couple three-putts the last three holes were disappointing, but otherwise I’ve been playing great.”
Former University of Minnesota golfer Ben Warian followed his opening-round 66 with a 1-under 69 Friday. He will begin Saturday’s third round tied for 26th at 135.
When play was suspended due to darkness at 7:56 p.m. Friday, Taylor Funk had played his first 13 holes of his second round in 5-under to move to 11-under for the championship.
The second round of the 2024 CRMC Championship presented by Gertens will resume at 7:45 a.m. Saturday at Cragun’s Legacy Course, followed by the start of the third round.
THE 2024 CRMC CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY GERTENS
CRAGUN’S LEGACY COURSE
BRAINERD, MINN.
7,001 YARDS, PAR 70
FRIDAY’S SECOND ROUND RESULTS
1. Frederik Kjettrup, Denmark, 62-63—125
2. Taylor Funk, United States, 64 (-5 thru 13 holes)
T3. Neal Shipley, United States, 63-67—130
T3. Joey Vrzich, United States, 67-63—130
5. Jay Card III, United States, 63-68—131
T6. Stuart McDonald, United States, 68-64—132
T6. David Perkins, United States, 64-68—132
T8. Chase Sienkiewicz, United States, 63-70—133
T8. Chris Crawford, United States, 63-70—133
T8. Conner Godsey, United States, 65-68—133
T8. John Keefer, United States, 66-67—133
T8. CARSON HERRON, DEEPHAVEN, MINN., 66-67—133
T8. Jonathan De Los Reyes, United States, 67 (-4 thru 15 holes)
T8. Paul Chaplet, Costa Rica, 71 (-8 thru 14 holes)
T8. Bryce Lewis, United States, 67 (-4 thru 11 holes)
T26.BEN WARIAN, STILLWATER, MINN., 66-69—135
T39. CALEB VANARRAGON, BLAINE, MINN., 67 (-1 THRU SIX HOLES)
T83. JACK HIEMENZ, BLAINE, MINN., 67-73—140
T96. HENRY MAY, EDINA, MINN., 72-69—141
T120. DEREK HITCHNER, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 69 (+3 THRU 15 HOLES)
T142. THOMAS LONGBELLA, UNIV. OF MINN., 76 (-1 THRU 14 HOLES)
T149. THOMAS LEHMAN, SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ., 75 (+1 THRU SIX HOLES)
153. BEN SIGEL, DEEPHAVEN, MINN., 78 (+2 THRU SEVEN HOLES)
For complete tournament results go to: www.pgatour.com/americas/leaderboard
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