Davis Thompson is in position to claim the one that got away last year. Thompson, a junior at Georgia and the Bulldogs’ leading scorer, took advantage of what you might call moving day at the Jones Cup, the first major amateur event of 2020. He posted a second-round 4-under 68 at Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Georgia, and will take a two-shot lead into the final round.
A year ago, Thompson was tied with Akshay Bhatia after 36 holes when torrential rain wiped out the final round. He and Bhatia went to the par-4 first hole for sudden death, but Bhatia made quick work of him when Thompson put his drive in the water and made bogey.
Leaderboard: Jones Cup Invitational
In the year since, Thompson has won an NCAA Regional, finished at the top of Western Amateur stroke play, won another college title and played the RSM Classic on the PGA Tour, finishing in the top 25.
Thompson did most of his damage Saturday in the later part of his round. He made three birdies from Nos. 9-13, then added one more at the par-4 18th.
Before that, the second round had been the Cohen Trolio show. The West Point, Mississippi-based high-school junior surged into contention with a second-round 68 of his own that also included five birdies. It helped him reach 4 under and made him Thompson’s closest pursuer.
Trolio entered the limelight in August with a semifinal run at the U.S. Amateur, and a Jones Cup title would do much to cement him as one of the most promising up-and-comers in the game.
David Perkins, an Illinois State senior from East Peoria, Illinois, is solo third after rounds of 71-70 left him at 3 under. A large group at 2 under and in a tie for fourth includes Julien Sale, the Arkansas State standout, and Oklahoma senior Quade Cummins.
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