Tyson Alexander takes lead, breaks TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes 36-hole scoring record

BERTHOUD, Colo. – The first two iterations of the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes featured a solo 36-hole leader with a score of 10-under 134. Both players – Nelson Ledesma in 2019, Will Zalatoris in 2020 – went on to win the tournament. Tyson Alexander broke the event’s 36-hole scoring record Friday, following up a 7-under 65 with a 6-under 66 and taking a two-stroke lead into the weekend, where he will bid to become the third outright 36-hole leader in as many attempts to win at TPC Colorado.

“I feel comfortable out here,” Alexander said. “It’s kind of long, and I’m on the longer side. That doesn’t scare me. There are some holes I can pick on. I definitely feel comfortable out here.”

After Thursday’s opening round saw Alexander card eight birdies and one bogey, the University of Florida alum made seven birdies and a bogey Friday. Alexander’s 15 birdies are tied with Jonathan Randolph, who sits in T2 position, for the most in the field this week.

Alexander opened his second round with birdies at the par-4 10th and 11th, then made another at the par-3 16th. A birdie at the par-5 first took him to 11-under par, but a bogey at the par-4 third cost him a stroke. Alexander bounced back with three consecutive birdies and closed with three straight pars en route to a 13-under 131.

“I’m putting it pretty good, giving myself a lot of opportunities hitting greens,” said Alexander, who hit 26 of the first 36 greens in regulation. “I feel pretty comfortable out here. I’ve been working on it. I switched to a new putter in Wichita. I was off last week and didn’t go to Maine, so maybe a little extra practice at home has helped.”

This is the second outright 36-hole lead of Alexander’s Korn Ferry Tour career (with this being his 56th start), as he previously carried a one-stroke lead into the weekend at the 2020 Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna. The 32-year-old eventually finished T2, one stroke behind the champion.

Alexander also beat his previous career-low 36-hole score relative to par by three strokes. The previous 36-hole best for Alexander was 10-under par at the 2019 Wichita Open Benefitting KU Wichita Pediatrics, the 2019 Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna, and the 2021 Veritex Bank Championship – which culminated in his first career Korn Ferry Tour victory this past April.

In Alexander’s six starts between his win at the Veritex Bank Championship and this week, he posted just one top-25 and had three missed cuts. Those results dropped Alexander to 44th in the 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour points standings, but a win this week projects to move him to 23rd as he chases his first PGA TOUR card down the closing stretch of the regular season.

“I feel like if I play well it’ll take care of a lot,” Alexander said. “I don’t want to be staring at the points and wondering, ‘What if?’ If I play well, it’ll be good enough. Everyone is different. Some guys love staring at it, and they know exactly what they need to do each week. I’m just not that guy.”

Randolph and Taylor Moore also broke the previous 36-hole scoring record, with the two sharing T2 position with matching 11-under 133s.

Saturday’s third round will feature live streaming coverage from PGA TOUR LIVE beginning at 12 p.m. ET and concluding at 7 p.m. ET. Coverage will start with a featured hole, the par-3 16th, and transition into a featured group.

Third-round tee times will run in groups of three from 6:45 a.m. through 12 p.m. local time off No. 1 tee.