Louisville (United States) (AFP) – World number one Scottie Scheffler climbed within three strokes of the lead Friday after being arrested before the second round of the PGA Championship, but third-ranked Xander Schauffele remained the overall leader at Valhalla.
Schauffele, who fired a nine-under par 62 on Thursday to match the lowest major round in history, remained at the top ahead of his afternoon start at the rainy layout.
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Scheffler was 2-under through nine holes in Friday’s second round and shared seventh on 6-under for the tournament after being taken into custody and charged with assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic.
He was handcuffed and taken into custody after driving over a curb trying to get around a traffic accident, one that resulted in the death of a pedestrian, and into the course.
Instead, Scheffler was ordered out of his car, booked, had his mugshot taken in an orange jumpsuit and released into his own custody just in time to get back to the course and practice before his second round began.
“This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers,” Scheffler said. “It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do.
“I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today. Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything into perspective.”
That accident delayed the start by 80 minutes and ensured the second round would not be completed until Saturday on a damp, receptive course.
Scheffler, who captured his second Masters last month and has won four of his past five starts, was cheered by spectators who lined the holes to watch him play.
Scheffler, a new father after his son arrived last week, hit his opening tee shot into the right rough at the par-5 10th hole but dropped his approach three feet from the hole and tapped in for birdie.
He missed the green and a five-foot par putt to bogey the par-3 11th but responded with his longest made putt of the week, a 26-foot birdie, at 12 to reach 5-under.
After five pars, Scheffler left himself a birdie putt from just inside six feet at the par-5 18th and sank it to make the turn 2-under.
– Hubbard one adrift –
World number 81 Mark Hubbard, making only his fourth major start, birdied the par-5 10th and par-4 12th to start his round and reach 8-under, pulling within one of the lead after seven holes.
The 34-year-old American, whose best PGA Tour finish in 214 career starts was a share of second at the 2019 Houston Open, moved the closest of any rival to Schauffele.
A third-place pack on 7-under included Sweden’s Alex Noren and Americans Collin Morikawa, Harris English and Austin Eckroat.
Two-time major winner Morikawa sank a birdie putt from 12 feet at 13 and just outside three feet at the par-5 18th to reach 7-under.
Eckroat stumbled with a bogey at six then birdied the next four holes to make his charge.
English fired five birdies against a lone bogey over his first 13 holes for the low round on the course to pull within two of Schauffele while Noren overcame an early bogey with four birdies.
Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg, making only his third major start, aced the 173-yard par-3 eighth hole.
© 2024 AFP
