Friday鈥檚 second round at the Charles Schwab Challenge produced much better scoring as winds laid down and the greens seemed more receptive, allowing players to attack more pins and create birdie opportunities.
After John Pak’s opening round 7-under 63, Ben Griffin and Matti Schmid matched him with their own 63s on Friday, tying for the lead at 11 under. Notably, Griffin had a strong start, finishing his back nine with three consecutive birdies.
Ben Griffin birdied his last hole of the day for a sensational 63 at Colonial. 馃幆馃敟 Translation: Ben Griffin birdied his last hole of the day for a sensational 63 at Colonial. 馃幆馃敟
Schmid finished bogey-free, climbing the leaderboard with seven birdies to equal Griffin’s score. Pak, in third place with a round of 68, is just two shots behind.
Rickie Fowler emerged as a contender with a 64, putting him at 6 under for the week. He had an explosive start to his round, shooting 29 on the back nine.
Other players like Tommy Fleetwood joined Fowler at 6 under. In contrast, Scottie Scheffler had a rough day at 1 over, barely making the cut with a 71. Jordan Spieth mirrored this performance, also making the cut at even par after a 71.
Jordan Spieth drains it from 27 feet to move one within the projected cut line. 馃憖 Translation: Jordan Spieth sinks a crucial 27-foot putt to remain within the cut line. 馃憖
The leaders:
- Ben Griffin, Matti Schmid (-11)
- John Pak (-9)
- Chris Gotterup (-8)
- Tie: Akshay Bhatia, Ryo Hisatsune (-7)
- Tie: Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler and others (-6)
Notable players who missed the cut include Aaron Rai and Mackenzie Hughes, among others.
