Schauffele blazes to a 64 for Phoenix Open lead

LOS ANGELES • Xander Schauffele gained five strokes in four holes on Friday on the way to a seven-under 64 and the second-round lead at the Phoenix Open.

The world No. 4 caught fire on the back nine at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona with birdies at the 12th, 13th and 14th and an eagle at 15.

Another birdie at the 18th gave him a 12-under 130 and a one-stroke lead over US Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker (66) and Keegan Bradley (65).

The 27-year-old is out to end a dry spell that stretches back to January 2019, when he claimed his fourth career PGA Tour title at the Tournament of Champions.

Since then, he has had seven runner-up finishes, including a tie for second at Torrey Pines last week.

He admitted that as the winless run continued, he began to push too much, and he has worked this season on staying patient.

"I've played in a calm state of mind, and that's when I've done my best," said Schauffele, who picked up just one birdie on the front nine.

"It was kind of a slow front nine," added the San Diego native, who rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt at the 12th to jump-start the round.

He followed with a tap-in birdie at 13 and a five-footer at 14. At the par-five 15th, he rolled in a 21-foot eagle putt that put him in a tie for the lead at 11 under.

"I'm going to be honest, I thought it was going to miss just left," he said.

But, after so many near misses in the past two years, he was not going to get ahead of himself.

"It's a one-shot lead," he said. "This is one of those golf courses where no lead is very safe."

Stricker, who turns 54 on Feb 23, put himself in position to challenge Sam Snead's record for oldest Tour winner.

The American is chasing his first title since Kapalua in 2012. If he can end the drought he would supplant Snead, who was 52 years and 10 months old when he won his tour-record 82nd title at the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open.

"I know it's a long shot," Stricker said. "I've won a few times out on this tour and I know what it takes, although it has been a while."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE