Zurich Classic 2018: Michael Kim, Andrew Putnam Pairing Tops Leaderboard

Michael Kim and Andrew Putnam remained atop the leaderboard at the Zurich Open in Avondale, Louisiana, on Friday, combining to shoot a 69 in the alternate-shot format to move one stroke ahead of Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown. 

The two pairs came into Friday tied, but Kisner and Brown only managed a 70. Kim and Putnam (-13) also hold a two-stroke lead over the pairs of Chad Campbell and Matt Jones (-11) and Nate Lashley and Rob Oppenheim (-11).

Still, the duo of Kisner and Brown—who lost in a playoff against Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt—are gunning for the victory this time around.

"Obviously we didn’t finish it off the way we wanted to [last year], so we’re coming back for a little revenge this week," Kisner told Ryan Lavner of the Golf Channel.

"We'd love to get a trophy together," he added. "We grew up together and are longtime friends, so it would be fun to win together. We’ve won a bunch of tournaments together, so we’re looking forward to the weekend."

Catching Kim and Putnam will be no easy task, however. The pair had just one blemish on the day, a bogey on No. 5, but made up for it with four birdies. And frankly, their ascension to the top of the leaderboard over the past two days has come as something of a surprise:

One of those premier groups was the duo of Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar, who remain in striking distance at 9-under. They've made headlines for a different reason, however, showcasing the event's most bizarre celebration, a slap in the face after each birdie:

Heaven help them if either one lands an eagle.

In general, the Zurich Open has showcased the lighter side of golf, making the tournament a fun one for fans and the golfers alike:

It wasn't all fun and games, however. Jordan Spieth and Ryan Palmer, for instance, are projected to miss the cut at 4-under. 

Shots like this one didn't help:

"I had a couple of really bad swings," Spieth said, per Lavner. "I cost our team an opportunity, which really sucks given how hard we fought today. It’s not a good feeling. It's much worse than if it's just you."

Other notable pairs in danger of missing the cut include David Duval and Jim Furyk (-4), Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello (-4) and Brandt Snedeker and J.B. Holmes (even).

A number of big-name duos remain in the running, however, with Patrick Reed and Patrick Cantlay (-8), Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson (-8), Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter (-8) and Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen (-6) keeping themselves in the running.

Saturday's play will return to the fourball (best ball) format before Sunday closes with alternate shot.