Sam Cyr fires 10-under 62 to take Greater Cedar Rapids Open lead

MARION — Sam Cyr enters Saturday’s final round of the Greater Cedar Rapids Open in a familiar position.

When the tournament was last played in 2019, Cyr entered the final round with a one-stroke lead, only to be overtaken by his travel partner, Dan Woltman, for the title.

Thanks to a near-course record round of 10-under-par 62 Friday at Hunters Ridge Golf Course, the 34-year-old from Hawaii will have a much bigger advantage this time around.

Cyr takes a five-shot lead into the final round. His eight-birdie, one-eagle round Friday followed up a 5-under 67 in Thursday's opening round, leaving him at 15-under. Seth Fair, the 2019 runner-up, and first round co-leader Ethan Brue are both at 10-under.

Four others — Carson Roberts, Mark Anguiano, Matthew Meneghetti and Braden Bailey — are at 9-under.

What made Cyr's performance even more remarkable was the fact he has played very little lately after undergoing hand surgery.

"This is actually one of my first events back playing," he said. "I had almost eight months off because of torn ligaments in my hand. I just played a couple of tournaments in California before coming here."

"I hit it good today. Nothing crazy, hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens and I was able to get it close on a lot of holes and made the putts."

He played the first nine in 30, which included three birdies to open his round and an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole. Cyr added four more birdies coming in to complete his round.

"I had to change putters today," he said. "I hit it so good (on Thursday) but I didn't putt very well. I went out today 30 minutes before my round and tried both putters and went with the one I used in the pro-am (on Tuesday)."

Ironically, Cyr returned this year to spend some time with Woltman. Cyr said Woltman and his wife, Marissa, recently had a child and there was a family wedding to attend.

"It's funny I came here to see him for a couple of weeks," Cyr said. "Now I'm playing and he isn't.“

One of the players trying to run Cyr down in the final round will be Roberts, who shared the first-day lead with Brue at 7-under. Roberts shot a 2-under 70, but said one bad hole kept him from being much closer to Cyr.

"I made a (triple-bogey) on No. 10," Roberts said. "I ended up making a 7 there, but rebounded and made three birdies coming in."

Roberts, a Conway, Ark., native has been all around the country playing in tournaments. He said he is enjoying his time at the GCRO.

“I just got all my stuff together last night and figured out that this is my 32nd tournament I've played in since last September," he said. "I really like it up here in Iowa. It's not quite as hot as it gets down in Arkansas.”

The final round will go off split tees beginning at 8 a.m. to try to avoid the worst of the warm weather conditions expected Saturday.