Xander Schauffele rebounds at Tour Championship, re-discovers East Lake magic

Xander Schauffele rallied after opening spherical 70 to put up a bogey-free 7-underneath 64 on Friday on the Tour Championship. It appears to be like he is discovering the magic of East Lake some other time.

Schauffele sits five photographs support of Scottie Scheffler at 16-underneath general and one support of Collin Morikawa, who shot an 8-underneath 63 to construct him at 17-underneath total. Within the intervening time, Scottie Scheffler did now not let the climate lengthen part him and shot a 5-underneath 66 to salvage to 21-underneath general.

“It used to be nice to total off with two huge putts,” Schauffele acknowledged after his spherical on Friday. “Moderately darkish out, so cushty these two went in. It retains the momentum from what used to be a moderately appropriate spherical.”

Direct by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire by process of Getty Photos

The 2-time predominant winner started his day with two par putts nonetheless then got correct into a rhythm.

Schauffele made four birdies in his next seven holes to compose the turn at 31 strokes. He added one other birdie on the par-3 11th and the par-5 14th.

Weather rolled in and brought about the PGA Tour to lengthen Spherical 2. The last few teams waited a diminutive over an hour, nonetheless they trust been ready to play the previous couple of holes on Friday evening.

Nonetheless, that did now not have an effect on Schauffele. He made a sizable par keep on the 17th to preserve bogey-free. The 30-yr-authentic made a 12-footer for birdie at heart of the night to total with an limitless momentum boost.

Even supposing it used to be most intriguing the tournament’s 2d spherical, Schauffele knew he had to shoot a low score to preserve up up with Scheffler and Morikawa.

“I performed with Scottie the day prior to this, so this course neutral now, with how company the greens are, it’s a ball-placing form deal where strive to be within the fairways and hit your number, and he’s been killing everybody at that all yr,” he acknowledged. “I do know he’s now not going to let up, so there’s most intriguing a technique to salvage him.”

Direct by Christian Petersen/Getty Photos

Scheffler appeared almost unstoppable Friday afternoon. He did indicate his human facet down the stretch, nonetheless after the climate lengthen, the gentle Texas Longhorn birdied two of his closing three holes.

Schauffele can most intriguing preserve an eye on his game and knows he’ll trust to be at his simplest to beat the arena’s No. 1 participant.

“It’s in fact as much as him, to be appropriate. I unquestionably must play out of my “beep” to sniff,” Schauffele acknowledged. “Being two support and then taking pictures 1-underneath the day prior to this and him taking pictures the low spherical of the day, it’s now not the begin I needed. A sense of urgency recently to test out and resolve some up.”

The shot of the day had to be that par-putt on 17. Schauffele sank the 11-foot putt with self assurance because he knew he wanted it to preserve within placing distance.

“I used to be taking a look bogey straight within the stumble on there on 17,” he explained. “I had to play a putt that broke about two feet downhill within the darkish climate. It’s now not one I are looking out for to hit some other time, I will be succesful to expose you that.”

Schauffele will play within the crew prior to Scheffler and Morikawa on Saturday. He and Sahith Theegala tee off at 2: 44 p.m. ET as he appears to be like to be like to chip away at that five-shot lead.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers creator for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For extra golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all predominant social platforms. You presumably can furthermore follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.