Friday’s second round at Waste Management Phoenix Open saw continued strong play from some of the best the PGA TOUR has to offer. Xander Schauffele started the day off slowly under the beautiful Scottsdale sky, with only one birdie on the front-nine, but caught fire on the back with a four-hole stretch of three birdies and an eagle on the par-five 15th hole. Schauffele finished the day bogey-free and sits atop the leaderboard by one stroke at 12-under par.

U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker is one shot off the pace, bagging six birdies to go along with one bogey and finds himself with a real chance to become the oldest PGA TOUR winner in history at 53. Keegan Bradley also is one off the lead at 11-under par and had a feverish front nine with five birdies before adding two more on the back – the only blemish coming on the par-5 15th where he found the water.

“The People’s Open” is far from a three-man race with Scottie Scheffler, Kyoung-Hoon Lee and Sam Burns locked into a three-way tie for fourth place at 10-under par. Burns kept some of his momentum rolling from his seven-under finish yesterday with an eagle on his third hole this morning, while Lee continued his consistent play by finishing five-under for the second day in a row. Scheffler had a mixed bag today, taking a double on No. 5, but still finished six-under par on the evening after eagling the par-4 17th hole.

Other notable scores from Friday’s second round –

Thursday’s leader Matthew NeSmith fell to being tied for eighth at eight-under after a rough finish to the day. NeSmith finished even on the day after a back nine that included a triple bogey on the 18th hole along with back-to-back bogeys on 10 and 11.

2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open Champion Brooks Koepka had a strong showing today, finishing at five-under par after consecutive birdies on 5,6 and 7. Koepka is part of the eight-way tie for eighth that includes NeSmith, three-time Major champion Jordan Spieth, and former FedEx Cup Champion Billy Horschel.

Among those who didn’t make this years cut at two-under par are three former WMPO Champions – Rickie Fowler (2019), Gary Woodland (2018), and J.B. Holmes (2006, 2008). Fowler finished Friday’s round even while Woodland and Holmes finished one-over par.

Saturday’s third round brings the 11th-annual Green Out Day at “The Greatest and Greenest Show on Grass” where all fans of the tournament – on site and watching at home – are encouraged to wear green in support of title sponsor Waste Management and the PGA TOUR professionals at “The People’s Open”.

Can’t make it to TPC Scottsdale for Saturday’s third round? Catch all the Waste Management Phoenix Open action live on Golf Channel and NBC tomorrow and Sunday.