Xander Schauffele fights back at windy Zozo Championship

INZAI – Xander Schauffele finished with a flourish to move three strokes off the lead heading into the last two days of the PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship on Friday.

The American, playing his first competition since the Ryder Cup, braved fierce winds to fire three birdies on the final five holes and card a one-under 69 at Narashino Country Club in Japan.

Beau Hossler took the second-round lead at seven-under 133 after a 65, one ahead of fellow American Justin Suh (66) and two clear of Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira (68).

Schauffele had three bogeys before hauling himself back in contention at four under, and the Tokyo Olympics champion said the conditions were “hard” to deal with.

“There seemed to be a lot of crosswinds on most of the holes – made it hard to hit it close,” he said.

“The par-fives were probably the only holes that you could birdie, and if you didn’t hit in the fairway, you’re struggling.”

Schauffele was glad he was “able to clean it up late” but was not sorry to return to the clubhouse when he did. “Everyone’s happy that the round’s over,” he said.

Overnight leader Collin Morikawa, also playing his first tournament since the Ryder Cup, carded a 73 to drop to three under. The American said he hit only three fairways all round and put himself “in some wrong spots” as he struggled to deal with the wind.

“I’ve just got to hit more fairways, that’s all it is,” said the two-time Major winner. “Made the round extremely hard today not being able to hit those fairways.”

Defending champion Keegan Bradley (70) was also on three under, while 2021 winner Hideki Matsuyama was on five over after carding a 76 at the 78-man, no-cut event on the outskirts of Tokyo.

“Playing in easily 20-to-30-mile-an-hour winds today was certainly a challenge,” Hossler said.

“I’d say anything under par was a really quality score, so to shoot five under was incredible.”

In women’s golf, Australian Minjee Lee took a two-shot lead after the second round at the BMW Ladies Championship in Paju, north-west of Seoul.

She carded a three-under 69 for an 11-under 133 total and was two shots ahead of American Alison Lee (72) and Ashleigh Buhai (73) of South Africa.

“It’s always nice to be at the top of the leaderboard. Obviously, contending is always my goal every week. I just feel like I kind of know what to do now in that situation,” said the two-time Major winner.

“My motto is always play my game and do whatever I can control. So I’m just going to take it one shot at a time.” AFP