Houston (AFP) – Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler matched the tournament record he already shared with an eight-under par 62 to grab the lead in Friday’s darkness-halted second round of the PGA Houston Open. The 28-year-old American made eight birdies in his second bogey-free round to seize the clubhouse lead at 11-under 129 for 36 holes at Memorial Park.
“It felt pretty good,” Scheffler said. “Hit a lot of fairways out there, gave myself a lot of looks. I holed a good amount of putts, holed a few long ones, which is always nice.” Canada’s Taylor Pendrith was second in the clubhouse on 10-under 130 after back-to-back 65s. Scheffler and countryman Tony Finau have each fired the course-record 62 at Memorial Park, Scheffler also in the 2021 second round and Finau in second rounds in 2022 and 2024. Americans Ron Streck and Fred Funk both recorded 62s when the tournament was held at The Woodlands.
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Lightning halted play in the afternoon for two hours and eight minutes, forcing play to be stopped at sunset with Colombian Nico Echavarria making a run at breaking the course and tournament records. Echavarria made a sensational start with seven birdies and an eagle in the first 16 holes to stand on 9-under for the round. Echavarria, who won his second PGA title at last October’s Zozo Championship in Japan, made a 19-foot birdie putt at the par-3 second, an 11-foot eagle putt at the par-5 eighth, and a birdie putt from just inside eight feet at the par-5 16th to reach 10-under overall, one stroke off Scheffler’s pace.
But the South American’s tee shot at 17 found water right of the fairway, and darkness arrived with him facing a 45-foot par putt. Also chasing the leaders but still on the course were Australian Min Woo Lee and American Ryan Gerard, both on 9-under. Lee had two holes remaining, and Gerard had seven to go. The second round will finish Saturday morning with the third round to be played in threesomes off two tees.
World number two Rory McIlroy, in his final Masters tuneup, birdied three of the last four holes just before dusk to fire a 66 and stand on 136, one better than the projected cut line. “Nice to finish the way I did,” McIlroy said. “I hit it a little better coming in. I holed a couple of putts. That was it.” Scheffler, whose nine wins last year included a second Masters and an Olympic gold medal, had not been bogey-free through 36 holes since the 2023 American Express tournament.
“It was a quick turnaround,” said Scheffler. “It’s always like that when you go late-early and yeah, it was nice to keep a clean card again today. That’s always good to keep momentum in the round.” The 62 was Scheffler’s lowest PGA Tour round since a closing 62 at the 2022 World Wide Technology Championship.
– ‘Good momentum’ –
Scheffler began off the 10th tee and sank a 10-foot birdie putt, then birdied the par-3 11th from just beyond 26 feet. “It was nice to get off to a good start and hold the momentum and keep a clean card,” Scheffler said. “It was good momentum to start the day.” Scheffler sank birdie putts from just inside six feet at the par-5 16th and just inside five feet at the par-4 17th, and later birdied the par-3 second from just inside 30 feet.
He closed strong with birdie putts from just inside 12 feet at the fifth, 22 feet at the par-3 seventh, and just over 13 feet at the par-5 eighth. “Today was a day where I felt like my ball-striking could have been a bit better and I was able to hole some putts,” Scheffler said. “The way I was putting, I didn’t feel I had to force ’em there by many pins if I wasn’t totally comfortable with the shot, so good results.”
© 2024 AFP
