Xander Schauffele put on a back nine charge Friday, including an eagle on the 15th hole to forge his way into the halfway lead at the Phoenix Open.
Schauffele broke out of a tied at 11-under par with a perfect drive then an approach into the 18th that settled just four feet from the hole. He came home with a six-under par 30 over the final nine holes and his 64 got him to 12-under at the TPC Scottsdale.
There were enough spectators allowed to make discernable noise, a big change from last year and the beginning of 2021. The event is allowing 5,000 on site.
As good as Schauffele played, there was huge buzz surrounding 53-year-old Steve Stricker, the 2021 U.S. Ryder Cup captain. After rounds of 65-66, Stricker found himself at 11-under par, a shot off the lead and tied for second with Keegan Bradley. If Stricker were to find a way to win on Sunday, he’s become the oldest player ever to win a PGA Tour event.
“I haven’t been in this position for quite some time out here,” Stricker said after day two. “This is why we’re here, to play at this stage, at this level. So, it felt good to get in there and to start the way I did today. I played really solidly to start the day and I got under par on that opening stretch, which is a good stretch when it’s so cold in the morning, and I hit some quality shots. That gave me some confidence going forward.”
But it will be a tall order for Stricker or anyone else to outplay Schauffele over the final 36 if he plays like he did on Friday.
“Pretty happy with the result,” said Schauffele, ranked fourth in the world. “And obviously what I thought would work did work today. I’m going to wake up tomorrow and someone is going to be four shots ahead of me or something like that,” Schauffele predicted. “I think this is one of those golf courses where no lead is very safe, and you need to really, like I said, keep my head down and stay calm.”
Low scores have been the rule at TPC Scottsdale over the years. After Stricker and Keegan Bradley at 11-under, Scottie Scheffler (65), K.H. Lee (66) and Sam Burns (68) were all in at 10-under.
Jordan Spieth is showing some life. Two 67s have Jordy at eight-under, just four back. World No. 3 Justin Thomas was in at seven-under par. No. 2 John Rahm was sitting at a disappointing four-under, tied for 38th hole Rory McIlroy’s tied for 29th at five-under par.
Notables missing the 36-hole cut (two-under) were Jason Day and Rickie Fowler.
