Rory McIlroy is seven strokes off the lead after picking up five birdies through 13 holes before play was suspended at TPC Scottsdale; Watch early coverage of the WM Phoenix Open second round live on Saturday from 5pm on Sky Sports Golf
Last Updated: 11/02/23 7:52am
Rory McIlroy was much improved on Friday but still remains seven strokes off leader Scottie Scheffler
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler leads by two strokes at the halfway mark of the WM Phoenix Open in Arizona, while Rory McIlroy remains seven strokes off.
American Scheffler followed up an opening-round 68 with an immaculate seven-under 64 on Friday to head into the weekend with a leading score of 10 under par.
He sits two shots in front of Spain’s Jon Rahm and Canada’s Adam Hadwin.
Hadwin is also at eight under, though he still has seven holes to play in the second round.
Both Scheffler and Rahm are within range to overtake McIlroy for the world No 1 spot at the conclusion of the tournament.
After carding a first-round 73, the Northern Irishman was much improved on Friday, picking up five birdies through 13 holes before play was suspended due to darkness at 6.07pm local time with about half of the field yet to complete the second round, which will be concluded Saturday morning ahead of the third round.
Scheffler’s bogey-free round included three birdies on the back nine, which he played first, and four on the front nine.
“I think around this place when you’re hitting fairways and you’re hitting it well, the golf course can kind of open up for you,” Scheffler said.
“But the opposite can happen in a hurry because there’s trouble lurking on basically every hole with there being desert close by. There’s a lot of holes with water as well.
“When you’re hitting it well, you have to take advantage of it like I did today. Hopefully, I’ll keep putting the ball in position as the week goes on.”
Rahm started the day by making his only bogey of the round on his second hole, the par-four 11th, but he quickly recovered to shoot a 66.
“I’m making a lot of good swings out there and I’m going to remember that,” Rahm said. “Where they end up is to most of the extent out of my control.”
Watch the WM Phoenix Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live early coverage continues on Saturday from 3pm on Sky Sports Golf ahead of full coverage from 5pm.
