Taylor Traveling Home From The Travelers

Although he didn't know it at the time, a par-four on the 444-yard closing hole at the TPC River Highlands course would have earned Taylor a chance to play on the weekend as the only amateur in the field. Nerves may have played a factor.

Playing with a special exemption, the result of his selection as the Ben Hogan Award winner and 2010 NCAA Player of the Year, Taylor shot a 1-over par 71 Thursday. He started Friday's round with a bogey on the first hole but by the turn he was 1-under for the day and even for the tournament.

A birdie at 11, a bogey at 13 and a birdie at 14 put him back into red numbers. He birdied 17 for the second day in a row and his eighth birdie of the tournament and was looking good at 2-under par.

A 273-yard drive to the right centre of the18th fairway left him with 168 yards to the hole but, with added adrenaline pumping, he sent his second shot 169 yards to the left side of the green and 21 feet from the hole. He pitched onto the green and his ball rolled 5 ½ feet past the cup, leaving him 2 feet, 11 inches away from a par that would have given him a chance play on the weekend and pick up two more rounds of professional experience, something that would come in handy when he plays in this year's RBC Canadian Open at Toronto St. Georges a month from now.

As it was, shooting 68, finishing at 139 and missing the cut by one stroke is rather impressive when you consider there were 18 Tour pros who finished tied for 60th at 2-under 138 and 77 other pros who also missed the cut.

One Canadian is playing this weekendt. That is PGA TOUR rookie Graham Delaet of Saskatchewan who came in at 4-under (70-66) 136 in a group tied for 34th.

Oshawa, ON's Derek Gillespie also shot a closing 68 but Thursday's 71 left him at 139 and, like Taylor, is headed for home for the weekend