Kokrak shoots 72, will miss play today

Staff/wire reports

HONOLULU

The cruel reality of life on the professional golf tour hit home for Jason Kokrak on Saturday.

His third round at the Sony Open in Hawaii was tense enough. The Warren JFK graduate battled his swing all day for a 2-over par 72 at the Waialae Country Club.

To make matters worse, Kokrak learned after his round he would not be playing today. The PGA adopted a rule in 2007 that limits the size of Sunday fields in its non-major tournaments.

If more than 78 players survive the 36-hole cut, then only the top 70 (plus ties) advance after 54 holes.

Kokrak was tied for 62nd place after Friday’s second round, but missed the second cut by two strokes. Fortunately, he’ll still make some money and will not be credited with a missed cut for the tournament.

Kokrak said he only learned of the possibility of not playing today when he was signing his scorecard in the scorer’s tent.

“Hit it bad today,” Kokrak said in a text message. “Nothing great.”

Kokrak started the day 1-under for the tournament but took bogey on the par-4 second and sixth holes. The latter began a streak of five holes in which he made no pars. He had two more bogies, on Nos. 8 and 10, birdied the par-3 seventh and eagled the par-5 ninth.

On 9, Kokrak hit his tee shot 320 yards but pushed it to the right rough and behind a tree. He punched a 6-iron from 175 that rolled pin high and settled in a low spot on the front of the gree, about 31 feet from the hole. He sank the putt for his first eagle on the PGA Tour.

Jeff Maggert played bogey-free in relatively calm conditions for a 6-under 64 that left the 47-year-old in a tie for the lead with Matt Every.

Maggert is coming up on the six-year anniversary of his last win, and missed a big chunk of last year after surgery on his right shoulder. He is closing in on the Champions Tour, but showed he still has enough game for the big leagues.

Every stalled on the back nine, and then birdied the last hole for a 68 to join Maggert at 12-under 198.

There were 16 players within four shots of the lead, including Steve Stricker, who is trying to become the first player since Ernie Els in 2003 to sweep the Hawaii events.