- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,150,572
- Reaction score
- 59
DUBLIN, Ohio — Eric Cole’s solid three-under 69 during Friday’s second round of the Memorial Tournament is a indication that he has shaken off the disappointment of his Sunday playoff loss to Russell Henley at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. Or so one might think.
But not so fast.
“Yeah, I think it's still there,” Cole admitted after completing 36 holes at Muirfield Village Golf Club in three-under 141, inside the top 10 on the leaderboard when he signed his card and within hailing distance of early pacesetter Ryan Gerard at eight under. “Obviously, I wish it would have ended differently, but I accepted it kind of right away. But you still think about it and what could you have done differently or where's the … I guess the area to improve for the future. Just kind of looked at it like that and took as many positives as I could.”
Seeking his first PGA Tour title, Cole appeared on his way to victory until Henley birdied the final three holes at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, to forge a tie at 12-under 268. Henley then birdied the first playoff hole to keep Cole winless in his 120th tour start. The loss was Cole’s second in a playoff after Chris Kirk beat him at the 2023 Honda Classic.
“Russ is a great guy. And what he did was really special, and it was a cool way to end the tournament for everybody but me,” Cole, 37, said with a tight smile.
More From Golf Digest
Cole, the tour’s rookie of the year during the 2022-23 season, was proud of the effort, but when he was reminded that Tiger Woods once said that “second sucks,” Cole responded quickly, “It does.”
The son of former LPGA rookie of the year Laura Baugh, Cole endured a slow start to 2026 before finishing 14th or better in four of his last five starts, including three top-10s. He has made no significant changes; the California native is simply doing the things he knows how to do a bit better.
“I just kind of continue to work on the same stuff,” said the slightly built 5-foot-9 journeyman, who turned pro in 2009 and finally made it to the tour in 2021. “I think that's kind of what you hope for is you have that idea when you start working on it, let's say. And even if you don't get the results, you try and have the patience that eventually it's going to show itself in a tournament and when you're in contention.”
Cole arrived at Muirfield Village with a generally positive attitude despite the setback. It wasn’t the easiest thing to talk himself into, but he reminded himself that his game was in good shape. He spoke of the inherent unpredictability of the game, exemplified by the fact that while he was lurking on the Memorial leaderboard, Henley was still on the course fighting to make the cut one week after his fast finish.
“There's a variability in golf that is probably unlike most other sports, but I think that's what makes it so great is everyone out here is really, really talented and the difference between playing well and playing poorly is so fine,” Cole said. “I was definitely a little tired from last week. But I feel good. My game's in a good spot, and this is a different type of test, but I felt relatively prepared and obviously on a good little bit of momentum. So I'm just trying to keep that going. I look at it like, I was in that position [to win]. I didn’t feel like I performed badly. I just didn’t win.”
But coming so close definitely hurts more.
“Yeah, it does,” he quickly agreed once again.
Continue reading...
But not so fast.
“Yeah, I think it's still there,” Cole admitted after completing 36 holes at Muirfield Village Golf Club in three-under 141, inside the top 10 on the leaderboard when he signed his card and within hailing distance of early pacesetter Ryan Gerard at eight under. “Obviously, I wish it would have ended differently, but I accepted it kind of right away. But you still think about it and what could you have done differently or where's the … I guess the area to improve for the future. Just kind of looked at it like that and took as many positives as I could.”
Seeking his first PGA Tour title, Cole appeared on his way to victory until Henley birdied the final three holes at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, to forge a tie at 12-under 268. Henley then birdied the first playoff hole to keep Cole winless in his 120th tour start. The loss was Cole’s second in a playoff after Chris Kirk beat him at the 2023 Honda Classic.
“Russ is a great guy. And what he did was really special, and it was a cool way to end the tournament for everybody but me,” Cole, 37, said with a tight smile.
More From Golf Digest
You must be registered for see images attach
Memorial Tournament He’s a contender at Memorial. And he’s got a colorful way to describe his play so far at Muirfield Village
You must be registered for see images attach
Golf Digest Logo Scottie Scheffler's caddie rant at the Memorial is extremely forgivable. Here's why
You must be registered for see images attach
News Wyndham Clark defends 'open some grape' comment after Byron Nelson win Cole, the tour’s rookie of the year during the 2022-23 season, was proud of the effort, but when he was reminded that Tiger Woods once said that “second sucks,” Cole responded quickly, “It does.”
The son of former LPGA rookie of the year Laura Baugh, Cole endured a slow start to 2026 before finishing 14th or better in four of his last five starts, including three top-10s. He has made no significant changes; the California native is simply doing the things he knows how to do a bit better.
“I just kind of continue to work on the same stuff,” said the slightly built 5-foot-9 journeyman, who turned pro in 2009 and finally made it to the tour in 2021. “I think that's kind of what you hope for is you have that idea when you start working on it, let's say. And even if you don't get the results, you try and have the patience that eventually it's going to show itself in a tournament and when you're in contention.”
Cole arrived at Muirfield Village with a generally positive attitude despite the setback. It wasn’t the easiest thing to talk himself into, but he reminded himself that his game was in good shape. He spoke of the inherent unpredictability of the game, exemplified by the fact that while he was lurking on the Memorial leaderboard, Henley was still on the course fighting to make the cut one week after his fast finish.
“There's a variability in golf that is probably unlike most other sports, but I think that's what makes it so great is everyone out here is really, really talented and the difference between playing well and playing poorly is so fine,” Cole said. “I was definitely a little tired from last week. But I feel good. My game's in a good spot, and this is a different type of test, but I felt relatively prepared and obviously on a good little bit of momentum. So I'm just trying to keep that going. I look at it like, I was in that position [to win]. I didn’t feel like I performed badly. I just didn’t win.”
But coming so close definitely hurts more.
“Yeah, it does,” he quickly agreed once again.
Continue reading...
