ATLANTA — Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler have performed a whole lot of golf collectively in 2024, a lot in order that they’ve joked about how they don’t have a lot to say to one another anymore.
And but, Schauffele has lots to speak about after Thursday’s spherical. He had a front-row seat for Scheffler’s masterful 6-under 65, the bottom spherical of the day on the Tour Championship that has given the World No. 1 a report lead.
“Scottie was virtually in each fairway it appeared like,” Schauffele mentioned cheekily.
“It appeared like he was going by means of wedge observe whereas he was on the market. Should you’re within the fairway, you possibly can assault this golf course.”
Certainly, Scheffler missed solely 4 fairways on Thursday, giving himself loads of alternatives. After bogeying the primary gap, the place he missed the golf green manner proper, Scheffler performed East Lake in 7-under par. He made seven birdies and 10 pars and now holds a commanding seven-shot lead over Schauffele and Collin Morikawa.
Schauffele, in the meantime, tied Scheffler proper out of the gate. He birdied the opening gap, leaping as much as 9-under and right into a share of the lead. Scheffler started the Tour Championship at 10-under through the beginning strokes format, whereas Schauffele teed off at 8-under.
However a lot in contrast to Scheffler, Schauffele cooled off the remainder of the best way. He made solely two birdies, on the par-5 sixth and par-5 14th, after which countered these with two dropped pictures on the par-3 eleventh and par-4 sixteenth.
“Began off hitting it okay,” Schauffele mentioned of his 1-under 70.
“Yeah, I in all probability simply reverted slightly bit, sadly. I’m going to go hit some balls proper now with the setting solar right here, however I’ll determine it out.”
Schauffele solely discovered seven fairways, but he did handle to hit 13 greens.
“I hit it within the tough so much, and with model new greens, I believe I scored okay for the way dangerous I hit it,” Schauffele added.
“However yeah, total, it was sort of a meh day. Wasn’t one thing for pleased with or disgusted by.”
He nonetheless has three days to beat a seven-shot deficit, nevertheless it will not be simple. That mentioned, Schauffele has a terrific report at East Lake, so something is feasible.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. Remember to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.