Phoenix Open: Xander Schauffele takes one-shot lead over Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker at half-time | Golf News

Xander Schauffele’s 30-yard backer took the same lead at the halfway level at TPC Scottsdale, and Steve Stricker added 66 to his 65-yard opening to keep his hopes alive from becoming the oldest winner in PGA Tour history.

3:33

Top picks, big mistakes and key moments from the second round at TPC Scottsdale, where Xander Schauffele leads with 53-year-old Steve Stricker in pursuit.

Xander Schauffele jumped into the outside direction while Steve Stricker stayed in controversy to get a glimpse into the history of the PGA Tour at the halfway level of the Phoenix Waste Management.

Schauffele played the final seven holes in six under par at TPC Scottsdale, tuning 64 with an incredible birdie final to move to 12 under and one ahead of Stricker and Keegan Bradley, while Jordan Spieth continued the his inspiring recovery with a back-to-back 67s.

Spieth enters the weekend four strokes back, while Rory McIlroy once again had to dig deep after an early error and fired 67 until the cut halfway with a couple more shots. , though still seven adrift of Schauffele, his playing partner for the first two days in the Arizona sun.

Schauffele was just one under for the second day after 11 obscure holes, but a 25-foot putt exploded for a birdie at the 12th separate scoring explosion, with more birdies at 13 and 14 and an eagle at the 15th long, where he found the heart of the lawn in two halves and dropped another putt from outside 20 feet.

Rory McIlroy made the cut with two strokes left

The No. 4 world didn’t miss a good chance to extend his run at 17 and then pulled his drive into the sand to the left of the final track, but shook the second sublime to four feet and ran in push to ensure full ownership of lead.

“That’s what the team and I talk about, just getting back to the old mind where I’m more patient,” he said. “I don’t push so much, kind of let the tour come to me.

“If you play well, if I try to push things sometimes it will work out, but sometimes it doesn’t. So try to stay in our series and keep doing what we do. to do. “

0:56

Xander Schauffele has been working hard on his game and patience, which paid off when he suddenly came into full lead with a 30-yard back on day two of the Phoenix Open.

While Schauffele is bidding for his first full-field impact on the PGA Tour in more than two years, Stricker improved his chances of a first title since January 2012, and with Sunday’s win he would surpass on Sam Snead as the oldest player to reach the PGA Tour Title.

The 53-year-old showed his 65-yard opening was not like a flame in the pavilion as he continued to plan his path carefully and effectively around the Scottsdale form, covering the back nine in 32 the third and sevenths were relatively weightless before taking more pictures.

The U.S. Ryder Cup captain found midfield at the ninth, but found an eight-iron with a bad hit by the front bunker and needed three to get down to pile up his one bog of the day, not to he was letting that finish bother him as he was looking forward to Saturday’s leisure time and late tee time.

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“I haven’t been in this position for a long time out here,” he said after signing for 66. “This is why we are here, to play at this level, at this stage. So it felt good to get in there and start as I did today. “

And he remained adamant about his chances of overtaking Snead’s long-term record, saying: “I know it’s a long shot, and I have to play my best, just like anyone else will make out here.

“But you know, I’ve been there. I’ve won several trips out on this trip and I know what it will take, even though it’s been a while. It would be fun to see how do I handle it if I get the chance. “

11:05

Rory McIlroy fought hard to make the cut at the Phoenix Open, recovering from an early error to kill four under-67s that leaves him seven strokes off the lead at half-time.

Bradley scored the first four holes and got to seven under for the day, and 12 under for the tournament, after 14, but stopped his second at the 15th long into the water and ran up six disappointments before entering safely without further warning until return 65.

Spieth hit nine more passes than he did in round one and got a 32-foot putt to fall for an eagle at the third, but despite his certainty off the tee he was unable to to make a 67 opening that leaves him four behind the director.

He was joined by eight under with another former No. 1 world in Brooks Koepka, who carded a 66-birdie 66 to cut halfway for the first time in four starts, while Jon Rahm lost ground on the leaders after 69.

1:12

Former Jordan Spieth believes he is starting to trust his own game again as he reflects on an inspiring pair of 67s at the Phoenix Open.

Rahm has five side-by-side alongside McIlroy, who has extended the climb of successful cuts made to 24 PGA Tour events, although he remains troubled by the mistakes that frightened him in Abu Dhabi and at Torrey Pines in the United States. last week.

McIlroy was courting an early revolt when he moved the second, but got the bullet back at the third and then made three birdies in a row to cap out 32 before sending. he off saved a remarkable par at the 11th, where his driver found the cactus bushes and made him fall to take a penalty.

He hit a heavy third on the green and would have settled for a two-put bogey, but his 40-footer hit the back of the cup and fell to the right, although he struggled to take full advantage of the rebound. until he caught a bird on the 15th-only par to draw a short putt for par at 16.

He led up and down at 17 other birdie results, and pulled out a par from a green bunker at the last to stay at five under and with Rahm and Russell Knox (69) of Scotland.

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