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Defending champion Scottie Scheffler took the lead over the weekend at the WM Phoenix Open, with local favorite Jon Rahm just behind at TPC Scottsdale.
Second-ranked Scheffler played 25 holes Friday, shooting a 3-under 68 in the first round and shooting a bogey-free 64 in the second to hit 10-under.
He had a two-shot lead over Rahm and Adam Hadwin when play was called off due to darkness.
Rahm, the former No. 3 ranked Arizona State star, also returned early to finish out the first round.
He shot 68-66 to possibly set up a Super Bowl weekend matchup with Scheffler for the No. 1 ranking.
Scottie Scheffler entered the clubhouse as the leader at the end of the second round of the Phoenix Open
Jon Rahm cheers the crowd after his birdie on hole no. 16 during the second round
“That would be a lot of fun,” Scheffler said. “It looks like it’s 1 and 2 at the moment, but we’ll see how things play out.” Many guys still have a lot of golf to play. It should be a fun weekend.
Hadwin had eight holes remaining when play was suspended. None of the afternoon starters were able to finish the round.
Last year, Scheffler beat Patrick Cantlay in a playoff for his first PGA Tour title. Scheffler had wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, WGC-Match Play and Masters and was PGA Tour Player of the Year.
The Texan has hit 20 of 28 fairways and 27 of 36 greens in regulation.
“Around this place, when you hit fairways and hit it right, the golf course can open up for you,” Scheffler said.
“But the opposite can happen quickly because there is trouble lurking on basically every hole.”
After a delay due to frost and gusty winds on Thursday, the players faced a lighter breeze that changed frequently.
“The wind was really moving,” Scheffler said. ‘It could be hard to judge sometimes. But it was nice and warm, so it was good.
Scheffler tees off on the 16th hole during the second round of the Phoenix Open on Friday.
Rahm opened the year with back-to-back wins at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. He had his best finish at TPC Scottsdale in 2015, when he tied for fifth as an amateur.
Rahm played a four-hole stretch at 4-under on his front nine in the second round.
He birdied the par-5 13th, holed out of a greenside bunker for eagle at the par-5 15th and birdied 7-footer at the par-3 16th.
“I hit a lot of good tee shots today,” Rahm said. “A lot of good iron shots that… didn’t end up in good places.”
His 87-year-old mother and grandmother, visiting from Spain, saw him at No. 16.
‘Unexpected. Very unexpected,” Rahm said. “I’m glad I didn’t know until I took the shot, honestly, because otherwise I think I would have tried too hard for my grandmother to make a good shot.”
Rahm hit his shot from the sand on the 15th hole for an eagle during the second round
While Scheffler and Rahm topped the standings, top-ranked Rory McIlroy had to rally after opening 73 in the toughest conditions on Thursday. He had four birdies over a five-hole stretch and was 3 under overall when play was suspended.
McIlroy is trying to make it to three straight PGA Tour victories after winning the Tour Championship in August and The CJ Cup in October. He also won two weeks ago in Dubai on the European tour in his first start of the year.
Wyndham Clark was 7 under after rounds of 68 and 67. Sungjae Im was also 7 under with six holes remaining.
Jason Day was 6 under par, finishing a 65 to take the first round lead and adding a 71.
“I’m glad to be home,” Day said. ‘I’m just going to go rest.’
It was announced during Friday’s game that Tiger Woods would return to golf next week, when the PGA Tour comes to the Riviera Country Club for the Genesis Invitational. The tournament is organized by the Tiger Woods Foundation.
Colorful golf fans try to calm the crowd as players play the 16th hole on Friday.