April 24, 2022 by Charlie Eisenhood in News, Recap with comments

JONESBORO, Ark. — Simon Lizotte started Saturday in 72nd place after shooting a 1-under par in Round 1. Now he’s just three shots off the lead.

Lizotte fired off a masterful 13-under par, the hottest round of the day by four strokes. It comes in at 1093-rated, the highest rated round at an Elite Series or Major in 2022.

“The round felt weird, because yesterday I shot a 1-down, and today I didn’t throw much better,” said Lizotte. “I hit two or three good putts throughout the round, which were bonus birdies. But other than that, this game is just so weird. How you can play the same golf sometimes and shoot 10 strokes, 12 strokes different.”

Lizotte, who said that he feels like he “hasn’t played a really good round in years,” might be underselling what he was able to do. He had two separate five birdie streaks, eagled hole 16, didn’t miss a single putt from inside the circle, and was the only player in the field to hit every single fairway.

At 14-under through two rounds, he’ll be chasing Calvin Heimburg, Paul McBeth, Kevin Jones, and Alden Harris for his first Elite Series win since the 2018 Memorial.

Calvin Heimburg Takes The Lead; McBeth in 2nd

After shooting a 9-under par on Saturday, Calvin Heimburg is your leader by a stroke heading into the final round.

Flashing his excellent all-around game, Heimburg was bogey-free, hit a couple of big Circle 2 putts, and pieced together one of the best rounds of the day.

Paul McBeth matched Heimburg’s 9-down to get within a stroke of the lead. McBeth has been absolutely on fire from distance, leading the tournament with a 63% C2 putting percentage. His three makes from C2 on Saturday were good for a pair of birdies and an eagle on 16.

Heimburg is still searching for his first win of 2022 after coming up just short at last weekend’s Champions Cup, the first major of the season. McBeth is looking to win his second Elite Series of the season after taking down the Waco Annual Charity Open. Both are seeking their second Jonesboro Open victory.

Kevin Jones & Alden Harris Cool Slightly

Both Kevin Jones and Alden Harris popped onto the lead card for round two and will return in the final round, but neither player was as sharp as they were on Friday.

Jones never bogeyed, but he had limited birdie chances, only getting into Circle 1 in Regulation on a third of the holes. He did take advantage of each of those six holes, though, cashing in the birdie putt on each of them for the six birdies in his round.

Through 17 holes, Harris was sitting in the lead at 18-under on the tournament and 7-under on the day. But he, like Lizotte and McBeth, got bit by hole 18, the hardest hole on the course. Harris was out of position off the tee, narrowly avoided OB on his second shot, then did go OB on his third shot. Three-putting from there meant that he took a triple bogey, dropping him behind Heimburg by two strokes.

Overheard

“I’m tired of just playing good. Top 10, top 5, whatever. I want to get some wins.” — Paul McBeth

Round Two Highlights

Jonesboro Open MPO Round Two Highlights