Former LSU golfer Andrew Loupe is trying to etch his name into PGA Tour History, if even but for a brief moment as he sits atop the leaderboard at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina this weekend.
Loupe started the event absolutely on fire, taking an early first-round lead. He managed to stay bogey-free the entire day, collecting five birdies on the front nine and two on the back to bring his score to a seven under-par, 65.
Steve Wheatcroft also started the event off on a high note racking up a pair of eagles, five birdies and two bogeys to tie Loupe for the first spot in the standings.
Both Loupe and Wheatcroft left Quail Hollow that day with something to feel accomplished about, but they had just gotten through the door. There’s still plenty of golf left to be played.
This was unfortunate for Wheatcroft. He ended day two going two over-par to drop him four spots to the fifth ranking alongside the likes of Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler. Wheatcroft tee’d off on the 18th hole at one-under on the day and ended up at two-over after his third shot found the water.
But for someone to say that Wheatcroft “struggled” or “had a bad day” is absurd. Statistically, he and Loupe were on pace to end the day tied, he just had one bad hole which got the best of him.
Speaking of Loupe, he didn’t have nearly as good of a day as he did on the first day of this event but it was enough to hang on to the lead. The thing that seems a bit off is that from round one to round two he only missed one more fairway, eight and seven, and missed one more green in regulation, 13 and 12. The unfortunate thing is, golf is a fickle game, and his “struggles” could be attested to a number of things, whether it be his putting or his inability to save holes after winding up in a bunker.
Wheatcroft tees of at 1:20 ET alongside Phil Mickleson and Loupe at 1:40 ET alongside Robert Castro.
