World number two Scottie Scheffler fired his second straight 64 on Friday to take a one-shot lead in the US PGA Tour Byron Nelson where the winner will net a cool $AUD14 million.
Scheffler’s round was less eventful than his seven-under effort in the first round, which featured two eagles and three bogeys along with six birdies.
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On Friday Scheffler had eight birdies with just one bogey on the par-71 TPC Craig Ranch course and was one stroke clear of fellow American Ryan Palmer and Canadian Mackenzie Hughes.
“Yeah, just solid golf,” Scheffler said.
“I didn’t really struggle for too many pars out there, and I felt like I putted a little bit better today than yesterday.”
Scheffler opened his round with a nine-foot birdie at the 10th hole and rolled in a five-footer at 11. He drained a 34-foot birdie putt at the 16th and got up and down for birdie at 18.
After an 11-foot birdie at the third he made back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth, and followed his lone miscue of the day at the eighth with a birdie at the ninth.
Former Masters champion Scheffler admitted it would be an extra thrill to win the tournament where he made his PGA Tour debut as a high school senior.
“I want to win a lot of tournaments,” he said.
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“This one being in the hometown, it would definitely be a lot of fun with the crowd behind me this weekend.”
As for the Aussies in action, Adam Scott failed to capitalise on his stunning first round when he shot eight-under, finishing the day at even-par and slid to T14 on the leaderboard.
However, Harrison Endycott, ranked No. 317 in the world, came from the clouds to score seven-under and finished the second round at nine-under to be T6 along with Jason Day.
Endycott’s seven-under in round two equalled leader Scheffler and Mackenzie Hughes for the best score of the round.
A victory would also return Scheffler to world number one, but he said overtaking Jon Rahm atop the rankings and winning in Dallas are not his focus.
“That’s not stuff that occupies too many of my thoughts,” Scheffler said.
“I don’t want to place too much emphasis on one tournament.
“I just want to go out and do my best and see where that puts me.”
There’s plenty riding on the weekend for Palmer, too, and he didn’t mind admitting how much he wants to win a tournament played just a stone’s throw from where he lives.
The 46-year-old said that would be even more satisfying than the berth for next week’s PGA Championship a victory would bring.
“I’d win this tournament and stay home next week, to be honest with you,” Palmer said. “That means more to me.”
Palmer put himself in the hunt with a six-under par 65 that featured seven birdies.
He was joined on 13-under 129 by Hughes, who had seven birdies without a bogey in his 64.
“I’ve just got to keep the gas pedal down,” Palmer said of his strategy for the weekend. “I think we’re going to get a lot of rain (Saturday) it sounds like and possibly Sunday, so it could be a very patient weekend.” South Korea’s Kim Si-woo carded a 66 to lie two further strokes back on 11-under 131 and Richy Werenski posted a 68 for 132.
Noh Seung-yul, who tied the course record with an opening-round 60, slipped back with a three-over par 74.