McClellan misses
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — It was not the result Rob McClellan would have liked, but he had to like the way he finished.
After firing an 8-over par in Thursday's first round of the 93rd PGA Championship at the Atlanta Country Club, the Butler Country Club professional fell back to 11-over before shooting 1-under over the final eight holes.
That allowed McClellan to finish with a 72 for a two-day total of 150, leaving him at 10-over par. The cutoff to compete in Saturday and Sunday's rounds was 4-over par.
“The whole round, I just hit the ball better,” said McClellan, who also took part in the PGA Championship last August. “Yesterday, I struggled to hit it off the tees.”
McClellan posted bogeys on the No's. 2 and 3 holes to fall to 10-over.
“I hit a wayward shot on No. 2 and hooked another on No. 3,” said McClellan. “From 4 on, I was even par. I had a lot more opportunities to make birdies. (Thursday) I struggled and was trying to make pars.”
McClellan drained a birdie putt at No. 5 before carding bogeys on No. 7 and No. 10 to fall back to 11-over.
“On No. 11, I hit it great, the way I wish I would have all week ... I had shots at birdie putts. I just didn't make them,” he said.
He did record one on the par-5 No. 12, then finished with six pars the rest of the round.
“I almost holed it in at No. 14 and the crowd started yelling, then I missed the putt,” McClellan noted.
Having fallen back Thursday and early in the round Friday, there was very little pressure on McClellan's shoulders.
“I think I was getting comfortable playing,” said McClellan. “I knew I'd need a 66 to make the cut, so there was not a lot of nerves. If I would have shot a 71 or 72 (Thursday), I knew I would still have had to shoot better.
“I had more confidence in my game (Friday),” McClellan added.
Still, when the course seemed at its most difficult, McClellan came up strong.“It's one of the toughest (courses) obviously, and the scores show it,” said McClellan in a post-round interview. “Yeah, it's a true test, and I was talking to the guys I was playing with coming up 16, and I asked them, ‘have you guys ever played a course with as tough of finishing holes as the last five' and they haven't.”But McClellan enjoyed the opportunity again.“You know, just the fun and the whole enjoyment of playing in it,” McClellan continued. “And, you know going into next year, the (Club professional Championship), you want to finish in the top 20 because you know how much fun it is to come out and play, and it is. It's so much fun to play.”McClellan and his family will stay for the weekend, taking in a trip to the aquarium and watch a little golf and lend a little support to other golfers before returning for the Sectional Championships Monday and Tuesday at the Allegheny Country Club.
