Johnson grinds out solid 70

After bogeying the par-4 10th at Midland CC on Thursday, Kevin Johnson found himself over par on his round. On the Web.com Tour, anything over par puts a player in position to miss the cut. Missing cuts makes a player drift further and further down on the money list.

KJ finds himself currently 100th on the money list, with the season slowly winding down. The top 60 at the end of the season retain status, and the top 25 will 'graduate' to the PGA Tour.

For KJ, it's time to start making something happen. Top-25's are essential, and a few very high finishes may be required. Missing cuts, at this point, are disastrous.

So after fading over par on the 10th, KJ went about the business of making something happen. The Clemson grad righted the ship with a par on 11, and birdied three of his last seven to post a solid 2-under 70. With the early lead being 6-under, KJ finds himself within reasonable shouting distance of contention.

You can't win the tournament on Thursday, but you can certainly play your way out of it. KJ did well to make sure that he kept himself in it, capping off the strong finish with a birdie on the 470-yard par-4 18th.

KJ could certainly fade on Friday afternoon, and making the cut is no guarantee. But at least he won't have to play catch-up.

Considering the ever-constant threat of Texas winds whipping through on a late afternoon, there's something to be said for that.