BIRTHDAY BOY XANDER Schauffele shot a five-under-par 65 at the US PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship in Japan on Friday to make up ground following his opening-day quadruple bogey.
The double major winner was 10 strokes behind leader Nico Echavarria of Colombia at the halfway stage at Narashino Country Club. Echavarria was 12-under overall, two strokes ahead of Americans Taylor Moore and Justin Thomas.
Séamus Power is just three shots off the lead after a brilliant eight-under 62 to go with his opening round of 69. The Waterford man picked up eight birdies in total, including four-in-a-row on the front nine and three in-a-row on the back nine to leave him on nine-under overall.
Schauffele got his title bid off to a disastrous start on Thursday when he carded an eight on the par-four ninth hole after his tee shot wedged itself among tree roots.
The American twice attempted to hit the ball but failed to dislodge it and looked set to take a third swipe at it before shaking his head, laughing and opting to take a penalty drop for an unplayable lie.
Schauffele had more luck on Friday — his 31st birthday — hitting five birdies and no bogeys to leave him at two-under overall.
“Yeah it was better, a little bit,” said Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship and the British Open in a breakthrough 2024.
“I mean, besides one hole yesterday, I kind of fed off of a lot of my holes and I probably hit the ball a little bit better today.
“Missed some makeable putts and made some ones I shouldn’t make, so all in all it was a pretty solid day.”
Schauffele’s playing partner Rickie Fowler shot up the leaderboard after carding a six-under-par 64 to sit eight-under overall.
Fowler, who finished in a tie for second at the tournament two years ago, had seven birdies and one bogey and said he played “a little better across the board”.
“Drove it a little better than yesterday and hit some better iron shots,” said the American, who is tied seventh.
“Not a whole lot different, tried to keep it simple.”
Defending champion Collin Morikawa had a double bogey for the second straight day but carded a 67 and was eight shots off the lead.
Japan’s Olympic bronze medallist Hideki Matsuyama carded a 71 and was at two-over.
