CROMWELL, Connecticut: Xander Schauffele shot his second straight 7-under 63 on Friday to take a five-stroke lead within the Vacationers Championship.
The Olympic champion shot a 31 on the entrance 9 at TPC River Highlands with 4 birdies, then had a 32 on the again, making birdies on 11, 14 and 17.
He has hit 33 of 36 greens in regulation and is the one participant within the match with out a bogey. His closest name got here shut on the par-3 sixteenth, the place he hit his tee shot discovered the tough behind a greenside bunker.
“It performs actually fascinating with the wind swirling via there,” Schauffele mentioned. “It was my least dedicated swing of the week and simply actually blissful to stand up and down there and save par.”
Kevin Kisner (64), Nick Hardy (64), defending champion Harris English (65), Cam Davis (66) and Patrick Cantlay (67) had been tied for second at 9 below. First-round leaders Rory McIlroy and J.T. Poston adopted opening 62s with 70s to drop six strokes again.
Cantlay, who shot a 60 at TPC River Highlands as an beginner in 2011, performed in the identical morning group as English.
“(I’m) nonetheless proper right here on this match, and searching ahead to the weekend,” Cantlay mentioned. “I benefit from the problem, and that’s all you are able to do in golf, is give your self as many possibilities as you probably can.”
English, who gained on the eighth gap of a playoff final yr, is enjoying in his third match since returning in Might from Valentine’s Day surgical procedure to restore a torn labrum in his proper hip.
“The hardest factor is strolling and enjoying,” English mentioned. “I imply, I really feel like again dwelling I can go hit a bunch of balls on the vary, however up and down these hills and being in your toes for 5 or 6 hours is the hardest half. It’s getting higher and higher, and I really feel just like the extra I play aggressive rounds out right here, it’s simply going to get stronger.”
Hardy, beginning on the again 9 had 4 consecutive birdies on 16, 17, 18 and 1. He is also getting back from harm after damaging the tendon is his left wrist in April.
“I simply was in nice rhythm,” Hardy mentioned. “That’s form of been the secret for me since I got here again. Simply being in good rhythm. I feel I’m swinging the membership properly and my thoughts is in a great spot.”
Kisner had some good luck on 15 when his tee shot went left and rolled towards the course’s signature lake earlier than getting hung up on a microphone cable, inches from the water. He ended up saving par.
“5 photographs isn’t insurmountable however I’m a going to wish (Schauffele) to decelerate a little bit bit,” Kisner mentioned.
Schauffele, performed one group forward of McIlroy, who was nonetheless main by a stroke at 13 below earlier than moving into hassle on the twelfth gap.
McIlory hit his tee shot left and out of bounds into the woods, then discovered the deep tough to the best on his subsequent shot. He put the ball right into a green-side bunker from there, then chipped out in need of the inexperienced and into the tough once more, earlier than ending with a quadruple bogey.
He left the opening trailing by three strokes after which discovered extra hassle on the fifteenth. He went proper on his tee shot, discovering the excessive grass, then ran his third shot over the inexperienced, down the hill and into the water. He completed that gap with a 6.
However he made birdie on 16, ending with an even-par 70 when his birdie putt lipped out on 18.
“I needs to be nearer to the lead,” he mentioned. “Really feel like I let a whole lot of guys into the golf match due to it.”
The final participant to make a quadruple bogey and go on to win a PGA Tour occasion was Adam Scott on the 2016 Honda Traditional. Scott put two photographs within the water on the par-3 fifteenth gap.
The lower was at 2 below, with 2017 winner Jordan Spieth ( 1 over) dropping out with Sam Burns (even par), Zach Johnson (4 over) and Jason Day (6 over).
