"We're supposed to make the cut," Branshaw said.
Still, the Oswego native managed an impressive opening two rounds in posting 67-71 at the Travelers Championship, considering he hadn't teed it up on the PGA Tour in six years. A member of the PGA Tour in 2004, 2006 and 2007, Branshaw had only played in one Web.com Tour event this year - missing the cut in Brazil - and one last year, again missing the cut, in Louisiana.
After firing a 3-under round on Thursday, Branshaw had plenty of breathing room inside the cut line, which floated between even and 1-under par for much of the afternoon. The Tampa resident gave it back quickly, however, making bogey on three of his first six holes, including three-putts on the par-5 13th and driveable par-4 15th. Branshaw steadied the ship with a rock-solid approach to inside 5 feet and a birdie on the 18th, in front of a sizable ampitheater-like crowd, and he made the turn right on the cut line for the moment at 1-under.
Accompanied outside the ropes by his father Robert and a friend from growing up, Ned, Branshaw gave the stroke back with a missed 5-footer and subsequent bogey on the dogleg-left par-4 3rd. Throughout the round, Ned referenced his friend's lifelong struggles with the putter, saying that he himself - not the pro - was better with the flatstick.
But Ned did say that Branshaw's mid-iron game was his 'bread-and-butter' throughout his career, and it showed with a beautiful approach from 193 yards on the 4th that never left the flagstick and settled within two feet for a tap-in birdie. Branshaw birdied the par-5 6th from six feet away after a solid wedge shot, and he parred in for a 71 that could have been 67, but also could have very well been a 74.
"When I bogeyed the 15th, I was thinking, 'aw, man, there it goes,'" Branshaw said. "But I held it together."
And Ned, as well, was pleased.
"I just wanted to know what my weekend plans were," he said. "Didn't know until the end, but now I do."
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