Davis Riley takes a one-shot lead over Michael Brennan into the final round of the final Rocket Classic.
Davis Riley shot a 7-under 63 Saturday to take a one-shot lead into Sunday’s final round at Rocket Classic.
Davis Riley shot a 7-under 63 Saturday to take a one-shot lead into Sunday’s final round at Rocket Classic.
Detroit — It’s been a tough season for Davis Riley, but he’s in Detroit now, and we all know Detroit loves a comeback.
Detroit also loves some Eminem. Speaking of which …
“I love some Eminem,” Riley said after taking the lead at the Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club. “I do love some Eminem. I may have to blare some Eminem on the way over to the course to kind of get the mojo going.”
Riley, 29, a two-time PGA Tour winner, fired a 7-under 63 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into Sunday’s final round of the final Rocket Classic. He was a shot ahead of Michael Brennan and three clear of Rickie Fowler and Co.
Riley seemed to come out of nowhere this week, and even Saturday, when he made a 50-plus-foot putt for birdie at the 17th hole and then made another birdie at the 18th to secure himself a spot in the final pairing Sunday. Those have been two of the most difficult holes all week.
And, yet, now Riley is in serious contention to win a PGA Tour tournament for the first time since the year kicked off with the Sony Open in Hawaii, where he finished tied for sixth.
Since then, Riley has missed 10 of 19 cuts and he hasn’t finished better than a tie for 42nd since early April.
There have been a lot of days this year when he wanted to stay home with the family, especially with his wife set to give birth this month. But she’s got the hard job (“growing a human,” Riley said), so the least he can do, he figures, is suck it up and do his job.
The job’s not done yet. One more round on Sunday, with a whole lot on the line, including a $1.8-million winner’s check and a spot in the PGA Tour playoffs, which start in two weeks.
Time to get that playlist synced up to the courtesy car.
“Yeah,” said Riley, “we know ‘Seven Mile.'”
Ummm …
“‘Eight Mile,'” said Riley, from Mississippi. “Correction.”
In this case, we’ll give him a mulligan.
@tonypaul1984
