Kyle

Reifers

A former member of the PGA Tour, Reifers has been playing on the Korn Ferry Tour since 2019. After having a strong spring, which included a tie for ninth at the MGM Resorts Championship and a solo sixth at the Visit Knoxville Open, Reifers was only able to muster up one top-20 finish during the summer months. Having played his way into this week’s Sanderson Farms Championship, he will look to build on his efforts from the last time he played on the PGA Tour. Capturing a tie for 43rd in his last start at the RSM Classic towards the end of 2019, the Ohio native will hope for an even better result this week in Mississippi.

Reifers circled seven birdies to post a one-stroke margin over Frank Lickliter II (34-32=66), who converted eight of his own. FL2 also swallowed two bogeys. Pierre Soero (bogey-free 31-36=67) was one of six in a playoff for the two remaining berths, but he has already survived, according to NFPGA.com. Meanwhile, according to Kyle Thompson on Twitter, he’s one of three still breathing for the final berth after completing 18 holes in 35-32=67. Thompson tweeted: “I shot 67 today in the Transitions Monday Q and after 4 holes the playoff continues. 3 for 1 at 8am.” It is unknown who the other two are, but they are among this quartet: Robert Damron (33-34), Todd Demsey (34-33), Vaughn Taylor (34-33) and Steve Wheatcroft (32-35).

This marks his third paycheck in six attempts. Reifers score after 54 holes comes in at 2-under 75-70-69=214 and is currently good for a tie for 43rd with most of the field still on the course. Reifers’ third round success was led by hitting 89 percent of his greens in regulation.

Reifers was the third alternate when the field was released on Friday. He gained entry when three spots opened as a result of withdrawals this morning. He had a wild week at Waialae after an even-par 65-75=140 left him one stroke too high to survive the 36-hole cut. The 28-year-old will be making his debut at PGA West this week.

Reifers returns to the big stage this year via the Nationwide Tour. He went 9-for-27 and finished 181st on the money list on the PGA TOUR as a rookie in 2007. At Waialae today, he split seven (of 14) fairways, hit 13 greens and took 26 putts. Among his highlights was a zero-putt birdie from just off the green at the 12th hole and a conventional 21-footer that disappeared for birdie at the third. He finished two strokes off the clubhouse lead.

Faced with a 177 yard approach from the fairway, Reifers kept the putter in the bag on the closing hole and wrote down a two. In all, he circled five birdies to go along with the eagle, but gave back three strokes due to bogeys on the strength of 16 GIR. After making the cut on the number, he as assured himself a later tee time for Sunday’s finale with his 5-under 205 aggregate.

Reifers was the last man inside the top 10 to conclude his second round today. A weather delay of one hour and 50 minutes forced a finish at sunset. No such worry on the weekend, however. Reifers hit 14 greens in regulation on Friday and buried five birdies, including converions of 24'1" and 17'5". Through 36 holes, he’s hit 25 GIR and taken just 57 putts, a strong ratio at challenging Muirfield Village.

It has been projected by many that this course demands solid ball-striking and Reifers fits the bill, ranking 41st in that category on TOUR. The Web.com Tour grad enters the week having cashed in just two of his last six starts after having seen the weekend in his previous seven events.

Reifers started the week as the first alternate, but didn’t gain entry until today when Scott Verplank withdrew. Reifers is 9-for-13 on the year but has just one top 25. He’s 136th in FedExCup Points. He also missed the cut in his only appearance at Colonial in his rookie year of 2007.

Reifers was the beneficiary of Stewart Cink’s withdrawal on Wednesday, and he wasted no time capitalizing. At the par-5 firsth hole, Reifers drilled an eagle putt from 19'7". He chased it with a birdie conversion from 21'4" at the second and a 13-inch kick-in for another birdie at No. 3. Later, after holing out for par from five yards just off the green at the 11th, the head of his driver detached at impact on the 12th tee (the video of which is linked below). No worries, as the ball came to rest 315 yards away and in the fairway. He’d par the hole and pick up two late birdies to match his low aggregate of the season.