Birthday boy Xander Schauffele shot a five-under-par 65 at the 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.
Schauffele got his title bid off to a disastrous start on Thursday when he carded an eight on the par-four 9th 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 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.
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Photo: Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images
