Paul Goydos, Long Beach State and Wilson grad, was the local hero in last year’s PGA Players Championship, but he didn’t make the weekend cut this year…instead, his friends and training partners John Mallinger (Long Beach State) and John Merrick (Wilson) have run with it, as Mallinger remains close to the top of the leaderboard and Merrick looks to raise his standing on Sunday’s final.

Mallinger slipped from a tie for third after Friday to a tie for eighth after Saturday, but he’s only one stroke back of second place—six golfers, including Tiger Woods, are tied for second at -6.  Mallinger (who was +2 on the day) and two others are tied for eighth at -5.  Merrick sits a good deal further back, at even after a +2 Saturday, in a tie for 51st.

We’ll update you on how the Long Beach Two perform on the final day of competition, but in the meantime here’s a must-read article about the connection of those three golfers, and their Long Beach trainer.  Click here to read it.