See who’s on verge of Masters berths into weekend at Texas Children’s Houston Open
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Michael Kim sinks 25-footer from the fringe for birdie at Houston Open
Michael Kim, Ben Griffin make cut, maintain hopes of cracking world’s top 50
Written by Kevin Robbins
HOUSTON — Ben Griffin and Michael Kim, two players just outside of the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking, kept their hopes alive Friday of playing in the Masters.
Ranked 52nd into the week, Kim shot a 5-under 65 in the second round to advance to the weekend at 5-under. Griffin, ranked 53rd going into his 12th start of the 2025 season, shot 6-under 29 on the front nine at Memorial Park Golf Course, but he stalled on the back with four bogeys and only one birdie, to finish shortly before dark with a 3-under 67. Griffin enters the weekend at 3-under 137.
They will have to wait to see where they stand into the third round. A band of thunderstorms with lightning suspended play Friday afternoon for 2 hours and 8 minutes. Completion of the second round was postponed until early Saturday morning with many players still on the course.
As it stood Friday night, Kim would start the weekend with a share of 18th place at 5-under, six shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler. Griffin would open in a share of 43rd place at 3-under.
Both continued solid starts to the 2025 season.
Ben Griffin makes short birdie putt at Houston Open
Griffin tied for seventh at The American Express and tied twice for fourth, at the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld and the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.
Kim, the winner of the 2018 John Deere Classic and a resident of Houston, tied for second at the WM Phoenix Open, finished fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and shared sixth place at the Cognizant Classic in March.
The top 65 players and ties after the second round will advance to the final two rounds at Memorial Park. At the suspension of play Friday evening, 66 players stood at 3-under or better.
