PGA Kokrak Start | First PGA tourney; victim of 54-hole cut

Warren's Jason Kokrak is the victim of a little known PGA rule.

The John F. Kennedy graduate struggled to a third-round 2-over 72 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, leaving him at 1-over for 54 holes.

He's tied for 75th place, and was surprised to learn from the official scorers coming off the 18th green that he would likely face a second-cut.

The PGA rule states that, after the 36-hole cut, if more than 78 players remain, a second cut will take place after 54 holes to the top 70 and ties. Eighty players survived the 36-hole cut in Hawaii.

Which stinks for Kokrak.

"Ya, it does," he texted.

Kokrak struggled out of the gate on Saturday, making bogies on hole 2 and 6. The latter started a stretch of five holes where he either made eagle, birdie or bogey. Unfortunately, three of the five holes were bogies, and he added another bogey on 13.

He did make eagle on the par-5 No. 9 hole. He pushed his drive, which measured 320 yards, to the right rough, and behind a tree. But he punched out a 6-iron that rolled just past pin high about 35 feet away and trickled into a pit on the front edge of the green. He sank a 31-foot putt for the eagle.

FRIDAY ROUNDUP

First PGA tourney. First cut made.

Warren's Jason Kokrak will play this weekend in his first PGA Tour event — the first Valley native to make the PGA Tour as a regular in 30 years. Making the PGA Tour is tough. Hanging around for the weekend is tougher.

Kokrak got as low as 3-under Friday, before a double-bogey on No. 14 sent him back to -1, where he started Friday. He has a two-day total on 139. The leaders are at 130 and 132.

"It's exciting to be in. But the goal is to compete every week out there. So I have some work to do," said Kokrak after his round. "But I'm still happy to have made the cut and looking forward to the weekend."

Like his opening round Thursday, Kokrak was around the cup alot Friday. But the tricky greens the players had warned him about kept his birdies in check.

"The greens are tough to read here. I'm still working through some kinks."

Where the cut would fall was uncertain in the first PGA's first full-field event of the season. Lots of big names are on the outside looking in. But Kokrak is in.

"It was a relief to know that after signing my card. One of the officials said there is no way the cut will go to 2-under."

His Friday included the tourney's 2nd longest drive of the day in the fairway — 365 yards on No. 9. It also included an unfathomable 399-yard drive on No. 13 that went though the dogleg into the rough.

Hit a cart path?

"Nope. Just down wind, and I hammered it," he said.

Saturday, he'll play in just a twosome with lesser crowds. Kokrak will be in the second group of the day Saturday, teeing off at 7:39 a.m with Tadahiro Takayama.

In front of him will be Billy Hurley III, and Jonas Blixt. Behind him will be Tim Herron and Tom Pernice Jr.

Kokrak's big on setting goals. With making the cut settling one goal, he's comfy with the next:

"A good plan would be just to get into the Top 20 come Sunday. (He's 4 strokes off that now). I have to get some putts to fall. But I'm hitting it very well."

Honolulu's 7:39 a.m. is 12:39 for us. Golf Channel coverage starts at 7 p.m. But you can follow Kokrak hole-by-hole on PGA Tour.com.

THURSDAY ROUNDUP:

Kokrak launched his PGA Tour career in the Sony Open in Hawaii. Thursday's leaderboard closed with familiar names like Choi and Bradley and Simpson.

And tucked in there was Kokrak with a 1-under 69 to open his pro career. It could have easily been -2, -3 or more.

“The front nine was a grind to get going. I made some good shots. I just couldn’t get the putts to fall on either side.”

“I started feeling better my game on the back nine holes. I just didn’t get the putts to drop.”

As for the day overall:

“I was surprisingly calm today – no emotions. But I lost a bit of concentration at times.”

Kokrak closed with a bogey on his 18th hole, the par 5 No. 9.

On his 16th hole of the day, the No. 7 par 3, he stuck his shot to 4 feet and closed for a birdie, putting him at 2-under for the day.

He rolled in a 9-footer on his 13th hole, a par 3, to go 1-under for the day.

He completed his front 9 with 7 pars, a bogey and a birdie.

His top drive so far rolled out to 336 yards.

Korkak’s first PGA playing group was Brendon Todd and J.J. Killeen

Killeen and Kokrak were together on the Nationwide Tour last year, finishing 1st and 4th on the moneylist, respectively. Todd graduated from the Nationwide in 2008.

The same three-some will tee off Friday at 1 p.m. in Honolulu, or 6 p.m. in the Valley.

Kokrak’s official world ranking is 192. He's secured PGA'er Scott Hoch's former caddy to guide him through the start of his career.

You can click here to follow his scorecard hole-by-hole.

The purse for the event is $5.5 million. The Golf Channel will broadcast the tourney at 7 p.m. tonight to Sunday.

The Vindicator has a special web page to follow Kokrak’s play on the tour. The page features special videos as well.

Go now to http://www.vindy.com/kokrak