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Good Good Golf Went Bad, Bad

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FRISCO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The controversy over an ill-received advertisement promoting a new golf club cost two top Good Good Golf executives their jobs on Wednesday.

The company parted ways with chief executive officer Matt Kendrick and president Joe Flannery, Good Good head of finance and operations Alex Puchala announced.

Puchala’s memo to the company’s staff included, “This is a difficult day for the entire Good Good family. Matt helped build something extraordinary that exceeded all expectations and continues to bring countless new fans to the  sport. What began as a small group of friends playing golf is now a growing global community.”

Nahid Giga, a board member and investor in Good Good, was installed as the interim CEO of the company that began in 2020 as a YouTube channel and rapidly gained popularity as a mainstream golf and lifestyle brand.

Good Good vice president of brand and marketing Jeffrey Lefkovits was fired earlier this week.

Good Good’s troubles began on Aug. 21 with the release of an ad for a driver co-branded with Callaway. The video showed Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark pushing another Good Good personality, Alexis Miestowski, to the ground as she went to pull the club out of his bag. Clark then said, “Do not touch my new driver,” while standing over her.

A swift public backlash, decrying an act of violence against a woman, led to multiple apologies from Callaway and Good Good. Callaway severed its ties with Good Good, which prompted Kendrick to criticize Callaway on social media.

The fallout also led to Good Good no longer serving as the title sponsor of the PGA Tour event scheduled for mid-November in Austin, Texas. Golf Channel canceled a reboot of the “Big Break” show that was to be produced in conjunction with Good Good. Meanwhile, Good Good products were pulled from the shelves of retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy.

Puchala’s memo added, “We’re encouraged by the continued support of the Good Good community, and we remain focused on moving forward and building the next chapter of the company.”

–Field Level Media

Scheffler’s Back on Top of PGA Tour

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ATLANTA – PGA Tour pro Scottie Scheffler has joined elite company.

Tiger Woods. Rory McIlroy. Scheffler. That’s it. That’s the list.

Scheffler joined golf royalty as the third player to win multiple FedEx Cup championships when he came from behind to capture the Tour Championship in the playoff finale Sunday at East Lake Golf Club.

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Scheffler outdueled Norway’s Viktor Hovland, who was also trying to join the multiple-Tour Championships club.

Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player and point standings leader, shot a 4-under-par 66 to finish 16-under 264, three shots ahead of Hovland. It was the second Tour Championship victory in three years for Scheffler, who won in 2024.

Hovland, the 2023 champion, couldn’t hold a one-stroke lead heading into the final round. He shot 2-over 72 to finish alone in second at 13 under.

McIlroy won the FedEx Cup three times (2016, 2019, 2022) and Woods twice (2007, 2009).

Scheffler overtook Woods for the top spot on the PGA Tour’s career money list. With the $10 million first prize, Scheffler now stands at the top with $130,390,661. Woods held the top spot with $120,999,166. McIlroy could have also surpassed Woods with a solo fourth finish or better.

“I felt like my thought process going into the postseason this year was I felt like maybe I’ve underperformed in some of the postseasons in the past,” Scheffler said. “I think of years like ‘22 and ‘23 where I had a lead at this tournament and wasn’t able to win the FedEx Cup or a playoff event those years.

“To come in this year maybe not winning the tournaments that I could have won throughout the regular season, to come in and win two out of three playoff events is definitely a nice way to finish off the season.”

Simply, Scheffler took the championship by matching the low round of the day.

“Obviously pretty disappointed with how I played today, just with the position that I was at,” Hovland said. “I only would have needed 1 under par to force a playoff. If I just had my normal game, my normal ball-striking from the previous years, I think I take away this tournament.”

Back and forth they battled, with Scheffler playing two groups ahead. Hovland, at 15 under, led Scheffler by three strokes going into the final round.

Scheffler started strong by hitting his tee shot on the par-3 second to two inches. The birdie moved him one and two strokes behind Ryan Gerard and Hovland, respectively, before the leaders even teed off. Scheffler then birdied the fourth to tie for the lead with Hovland at 14 under, after the first-round leader bogeyed his opening hole. Gerard double-bogeyed the opening hole to fall behind.

“The start was really challenging,” Scheffler said. “(Nos.) 1 and 2 playing into the wind, No. 1 is an extremely difficult starting hole, especially that pin location. For me to get out of there with a par, I felt like I got half a shot there. And then to birdie the second hole, I felt like a got another full shot there. I felt like I could move in pretty quickly if I got off to a good start today. And that was the case.

“It’s more challenging not being in control of the tournament. To get off to a good start and then those guys getting off to a bit of a slow start really put me right in the tournament early.”

Scheffler bogeyed the seventh but birdied the eighth to move back to 14 under and tied with Hovland.

Hovland birdied the eighth to move back to 15 under and retake the solo lead. Scheffler birdied the 10th to force another tie, then made a 5-footer for birdie at the 13th to move to 16 under and take the solo lead for the first time. He gave the lead back with a bogey on the 14th after a drive in the rough.

Hovland dropped back behind Scheffler with a bogey on the 13th, also following a drive in the rough.

The lead was two after Scheffler birdied the 16th, from the fairway bunker, to return to 16 under.

While Scheffler was playing the 18th, Hovland bogeyed the 17th to fall three shots back. He overshot the green from 103 yards with a lob wedge. Scheffler parred the 18th, but at that point had the comfortable lead with one hole to play. Hovland went on to par the 18th.

No one else really challenged Scheffler and Hovland. Of the others in the final three pairings: Gerard shot 2-over 72 and finished third at 12 under. Adam Scott of Australia also shot 72 and finished 10 under, tied for 11th.

Chris Gotterup and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg each carded a 1-over 71 and finished tied for fourth at 11 under along with McIlroy (69).

They were joined by Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick (66), Jacob Bridgeman (68), Australian Min Woo Lee (68) and Russell Henley (68).

Scheffler moves closer to the Player of the Year award with his third win, including two in the playoffs, and 10 top-three finishes.

How do you celebrate such a historic victory? With a cheeseburger and fries. And a beer.

“I had a beer for the first time in a long time,” Scheffler said. “It just sounded good. Right when we got off the course, I got in there, these guys are trying to get me to do media and all this stuff. I was like, ‘How much time do we really have?’ They’re like, ‘We’ve got a couple minutes.’ ‘All right, let me go inside and get some air conditioning.’

“There was an open bar inside, and I’m like, ‘All right, I’m grabbing a beer.’ It tasted great.”

– Field Level Media

Clark Takes Lead at BMW Championship

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ST. LOUIS – (Wire Service Report) – Wyndham Clark pulled off his second consecutive bogey-free 64 Friday to establish a one-stroke lead at the BMW Championship at the Bellerive Country Club.

Clark is 12-under-par 128 at the halfway mark of the FedEx Cup playoffs’ middle event. The top 30 in the points race after Sunday will qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship.

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Clark entered this week fifth in points thanks to a two-win season that included his second U.S. Open. He admitted a playoff win would look nice in his trophy case.

“Obviously majors are the No. 1, and then any time you can win any tournament’s big, but a signature event or a playoff event is massive,” Clark said. “I’ve been close in this event a couple times, so it would be nice to pull through and get a W.”

Clark made three birdies on each side Friday. He has hit 31 of 36 greens in regulation this week, leading the field, while getting up and down from the sand in all three attempts

While Clark is safely booked for Atlanta next week, Gary Woodland has everything to play for as No. 31 in the standings, currently the first player out. He birdied his last two holes to shoot a 5-under 65 and take sole possession of second at 11 under.

“I played nicely. I didn’t hit it as well as I did yesterday, where I was in complete control,” Woodland said. “The key for me was, I lost it a little bit on the back nine, lost some shots to the right, and I was able to adjust, kind of take a step back. … I checked my grip and hit four really great shots coming in on 17, 18, so proud of the adjustment I made there.”

J.J. Spaun (66) is third at 10 under. Sungjae Im of South Korea fired a 64 to tie Chris Gotterup (67) for fourth at 9 under, while Patrick Cantlay carded a 65 to join Michael Thorbjornsen (66) at 8 under.

Im (No. 40), Cantlay (No. 43) and Thorbjornsen (No. 41) are all vying to play their way into the Tour Championship field. Per the PGA Tour’s live standings, Thorbjornsen is projected to move into the 30th and final spot and Cantlay would only get to No. 31.

“I would say almost regardless of where I’m at, top of the FedEx Cup or on the bubble, I don’t really think about it,” said Cantlay, the 2021 FedEx Cup champion. “I definitely know the best way to move up that board is to play well this week and so I just put all my attention there.”

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy dropped from a share of the lead to a tie for eighth at 7 under after posting a 69 Friday. He’s joined by Collin Morikawa (65), Russell Henley (66) and Maverick McNealy (66).

World No. 1 and FedEx Cup leader Scottie Scheffler bounced back from an opening 72 to post 65. That moved him to 3 under for the week, tied for 25th. There is no 36-hole cut in the three playoff events.

Scheffler carded two bogeys and two bounce-back birdies on the front nine before coming home in 5-under 30.

“Yesterday I had a couple nasty lip-outs and the greens were pretty chewed up late in the day,” Scheffler said. “Today get out there a little earlier on fresh greens, see a couple go in early, and things just start to look a little simpler when there’s not a lot of stuff in your way.”

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour: Brennan’s Surge to Co-Lead

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GREENSBORO – Michael Brennan posted five birdies across the final eight holes to shoot 7-under-par 63 on Saturday and move into a share of the lead with Beau Hossler through three rounds of the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.

Hossler, who was the second-round leader, finally finished his round of 66 following two late-round weather-related pauses at Sedgefield Country Club.

The duo is level at 16-under 194 to co-lead by one shot entering Sunday’s final round.

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Brennan’s lone bogey came on the second hole before he got rolling.

Hossler’s best finish this year was a tie for third place at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May. Still seeking his first career win on tour, he has twice been runner-up when losing in playoffs and finished second four total times.

South Korea’s Tom Kim also shot 63 and sits at 15 under in third place.

Alex Smalley (65) and Sweden’s Alex Noren (65) are at 14 under, while Davis Thompson (65) is in sixth place at 13 under.

Colombia’s Nico Echavarria’s 62 marked the best score of the round, allowing him to move to 11 under and climb into a tie for eighth place. A day earlier, he was one stroke away from missing the cut. On Saturday, his eagle on the par-5 fifth hole got him rolling in a bogey-free round.

Hossler began the round with a one-stroke lead. Nineteen golfers were within four strokes of him. Several golfers rose past Hossler on the leaderboard before he began his round.

Hossler notched five birdies during a 10-hole stretch before the momentum was halted because of a lightning delay. He was bogey-free through 15 holes before storms caused the day’s first suspension of play. He bogeyed the 16th hole upon the resumption of play.

There was another suspension prior to Hossler playing No. 18, with his tee shot going into the rough off the right side of the fairway. But he recovered for par with a 4-foot putt to maintain a share of the lead.

This is the final tournament in the PGA Tour’s regular season. Golfers need to be in the top 70 of the season’s standings to advance to next week’s FedEx Cup playoffs.

Brooks Koepka, who needs a strong finishing spot this weekend to move into the top 70, slumped with a 74 on Saturday and slid to 3 over in the tournament.

Defending champion Cameron Young, who made the cut on the number, shot 72 and is at 1 under for the tournament.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour Winds Down at Wyndham

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

GREENSBORO – The 2025 Wyndham Championship is the 34th and final event of the 34 scheduled events for the PGA Tour’s 2026 FedEx Cup regular season. Since the inception of the FedExCup in 2007, the Wyndham Championship has played host to the FedEx Cup regular season finale (since 2008 at Sedgefield Country Club).

This year marks the 87th annual Wyndham Championship, having been included on the PGA TOUR schedule since 1938 (the seventh-longest running TOUR event excluding the majors).

Following the Wyndham Championship, the Top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings will advance to the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Shane Lowry (No. 60) is the only player ranked from Nos. 60-80 in the FedEx Cup standings who is not in the field. In 2025, Chris Kirk (T5) was the only player to move inside the Top 70 following the Wyndham Championship.

Jason Day (No. 75) and Keegan Bradley (No. 72) both sit outside the Top 70 and are seeking to extend their streak of consecutive Playoffs appearances, with Day going for his 19th (since 2008) while Bradley seeks his 16th (since 2011).

The Wyndham Championship winner will receive 500 FedEx Cup points, a two-year exemption on the PGA TOUR and $1,530,000; the winner will also be exempt for THE PLAYERS Championship, Masters Tournament and PGA Championship in 2027.

Tournament Notes

Following next week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, the 70 players are cut to the Top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings and they’ll qualify for the BMW Championship (Aug. 20-23). After the BMW Championship, the Top 30 players in the standings advance to the TOUR Championship (Aug. 27-30) in Atlanta.

  • Scottie Scheffler (4,123) holds a 794-point lead in the FedExCup standings over Matt Fitzpatrick (3,329).
  • Matt Fitzpatrick and Chris Gotterup lead the TOUR with three victories each this season; Wyndham Clark and Cameron Young are the only other players with multiple wins this season (two each).
  • There have been eight first-time winners in the first 33 events on TOUR this season: Jacob Bridgeman (The Genesis Invitational), Ricky Castillo (Puerto Rico Open), Alex Fitzpatrick (Zurich Classic of New Orleans), Kristoffer Reitan (Truist Championship), Bud Cauley (RBC Canadian Open), Stefano Mazzoli (Corales Puntacana Championship), Jackson Koivun (3M Open), Michael Thorbjornsen (Rocket Classic).

Please check PGATourCom for updated info.

Wyndham Championship | Tournament Facts

COURSE: Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, North Carolina

YARDS/PAR: 7,131 yards/Par 70

ARCHITECT: Donald Ross

PRIZE Money/Winner’s Share – Purse: $8,500,000/$1,530,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Cameron Young

OVERVIEW: (link)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500

TOURNAMENT SITE: (link)

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @WyndhamChamp

PGA Tour: Koivun Takes 3M Open

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BLAINE (Minn) – (Wire Service Report) – It didn’t take long for rookie Jackson Koivun to prove that he’s comfortable on the PGA Tour.

Koivun shot 5-under-par 66 to stave off hard-charging Scottie Scheffler and win on the PGA Tour for the first time at the 3M Open on Sunday at Blaine, Minn. Koivun, 21, finished at 25-under 259 for a three-shot victory on Scheffler, who closed with a 63 at TPC Twin Cities.

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“Definitely had some nerves coming down on 18,” Koivun said. “All throughout the crowd, I kept hearing, ‘Scottie’s coming, Scottie’s coming.’ I just tried to tone that out and keep playing the golf I knew I could.”

Less than two months ago, Koivun was helping Auburn to its second NCAA championship in a three-year stretch. He demonstrated more poise while playing the final two rounds of his third tournament since turning pro without carding a bogey.

“I just love this game. I love golf, it’s everything I do,” Koivun said. “I have a tough time getting away from it. Like I said, it’s been love at first sight.”

Denny McCarthy (66), Brian Harman (65), Chandler Phillips (67) and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (64) tied for third place at 20 under.

World No. 1 Scheffler birdied three consecutive holes to begin the back nine as part of his bogey-free round. He birdied Nos. 16 and 18, leaving him trailing by two strokes.

Koivun then birdied No. 16, extending the margin to three strokes with two holes to play.

“Depending on how Jackson played, I knew I was going to need a really low number regardless,” Scheffler said. “I wanted to get something really low on the front nine and kind of put myself on the leaderboard. I didn’t quite have that.”

Scheffler, who was competing in the 3M Open for the first time, still hasn’t seen Koivun hit a shot.

“I’m looking forward to that,” Scheffler said.

Koivun, a three-time Player of the Year in the Southeastern Conference, surged into the lead across the final nine holes Saturday and then went right to work Sunday, with his approach shot on the first hole spinning back to within 2 feet of the cup for an easy birdie putt. A birdie on No. 4 pushed his lead to five strokes, with Scheffler among five golfers tied for second place at the time.

He ended up with birdies on the first two par-5 layouts Sunday – and didn’t need it on No. 18.

Jake Knapp shot an early 62 to rise quickly on the leaderboard and finish at 16 under, tying for 13th. He posted seven consecutive birdies as part of a 28 on the back nine, tying a tournament record set a day earlier by Koivun.

“On the back nine, just like drove it a little bit better and I wedged it really well,” Knapp said. “That was the main thing and that was kind of the main focus coming into these last few weeks.”

Defending champion Kurt Kitayama (68) finished tied for 24th at 13 under.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour: Koivun Leads 3M Open

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BLAINE – (Wire Service Report) – PGA Tour newcomer Jackson Koivun fired a 10-under-par 61 on the way to taking the third-round lead at the 3M Open on Saturday in the Twin Cities.

Koivun, in his just third tournament as a professional, holds a three-shot lead on Ben Kohles and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo going to Sunday’s final round at TPC Twin Cities. Koivun, who announced last month that he would forgo his senior collegiate season at Auburn to turn pro, finished on a tear with two eagles on the backside that allowed him to play the final 10 holes in 9-under. That contributed to a tournament-record 28 on the backside, rolling in a 14-foot eagle putt on the last hole.

Koivun’s bogey-free round included an eagle 3 on No. 12.

Grillo and Kohles also were without bogeys on the way to posting 65s. Grillo eagled No. 18 shortly after Koivun accomplished that. Kohles, the first-round leader, had three birdies on both sides.

Michael Brennan (63) and Chandler Phillips (66) are tied for fourth place at 16 under.

Michael Kim, fresh off Friday’s 59, was unable to maintain the momentum, shooting 70 and joining Denny McCarthy (64) and Billy Horschel (65) at 15 under. Kim had only one birdie until No. 16 on Saturday.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had his best round of the tournament with 64 to move to 14 under, holding a share of first place when he left the final green. Competing in the tournament for the first time, he posted an 8 under score on the backside, highlighted by an eagle with a chip from the greenside rough on the par-4 16th.

Davis Thompson and Ireland’s Seamus Power were early finishers with 63s, also among those at 14 under before other golfers got rolling. Brian Harman (66) is at 14 under as well.

Defending champion Kurt Kitayama shot 66 to move to 10 under.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour: 3M Open Awaits Low Scores

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BLAINE, (Minn) – Defending champion Kurt Kitayama is making his third appearance at 3M Open (T6/2024, Won/2025). He claimed his second PGA TOUR title with victory at 2025 3M Open, highlighted by a career-low 60 in the third round. Last year, he entered the week at No. 110 in the FedEx Cup and became the third consecutive 3M Open winner to begin the week outside the Top 70 in the FedEx Cup (Jhonattan Vegas/No. 147/2024; Lee Hodges/No. 74/2023) and leave in the playoffs.

He is a cumulative 36-under in eight rounds at TPC Twin Cities (66-69-70-66-65-71-60-65). Kitayama is coming off a T40 finish at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

3M Open notes:

  • TPC Twin Cities was designed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Arnold Palmer, who worked in consultation with Minnesota native and PGA TOUR veteran Tom Lehman.
  • It’s one of 10 TPC venues on 2026 PGA TOUR schedule: TPC Scottsdale, TPC Sawgrass (Stadium), TPC San Antonio (Oaks), TPC Louisiana, TPC Craig Ranch, TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North), TPC River Highlands, TPC Deere Run, TPC Twin Cities, TPC Southwind.
  • Eight players in the field have competed in all seven previous editions of the 3M Open: Cam Davis, Tony Finau, Brice Garnett, Tom Hoge, Beau Hossler, Patton Kizzire, Peter Malnati, and Troy Merritt.
  • Four past champions of the 3M Open in the field: Cameron Champ (2021), Tony Finau (2022), Lee Hodges (2023), Kurt Kitayama (2025).
  • Three FedExCup champions in the field: Scottie Scheffler (2024), Billy Horschel (2014), Brandt Snedeker (2012).
  • Three players in the field at the 3M Open finished in the Top-10 at last week’s Open Championship: Scottie Scheffler (T4), Casey Jarvis (T6), Rasmus Neergard-Petersen (T9) .

The 3M Open | Tournament Facts

COURSE: TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota

YARDS/PAR: 7,431 yards/Par 71

ARCHITECT: Arnold Palmer

PRIZE Money – Purse: $8,800,000/$1,584,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Kurt Kitayama

TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW: (link)

OFFICIAL SITE: (3M)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @3MOpen #GolfThatMatters

Down the Stretch at John Deere

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SILVIS – Lucas Glover (T1/-16), the 18-and 36-hole leader/co-leader, carded a 2-under (69), highlighted by an eagle on No. 2. He holds 54-hole lead/co-lead for fifth time on TOUR (most recent: 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship/Won) and is 2-for-4 in converting 54-hole lead/co-lead into victory.

Glover leads the field in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (10.254) and Strokes Gained: Approach The Green (8.840).

Lee Hodges (T1/-16) recorded six birdies against two bogeys on Nos. 6 and 8 en route to third-round (67). He holds 54-hole lead/co-lead for third time on TOUR (2022 American Express/finished T3, 2023 3M Open/Won) and is 1-for-2 in converting to victory. Hodges ranks No. 1 in Strokes Gained: Putting (8.598).

The 54-hole leader(s)/co-leader(s) has gone on to win 10 of 25 individual stroke-play events on TOUR this season

John Deere Classic | Leaderboard After 54 Holes

T1 Lucas Glover 63 65 69 197 (-16)

T1 Lee Hodges 64 66 67 197 (-16)

T3 Ben Kohles 65 67 66 198 (-15)

T3 Jackson Suber 68 64 66 198 (-15)

T3 Zac Blair 63 68 67 198 (-15)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

The John Deere Classic | Tournament Facts

COURSE: TPC Deere Run, Silvis, IL

YARDS/PAR: 7,327 yards/Par 71

ARCHITECTS: D.A. Weibring and Chris Gray

PRIZE Money – Purse/Winner’s Share: $8,800,000/$1,584,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Brian Campbell

OVERVIEW: (PGATourCom)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @JDCLASSIC @JohnDeere

Scheffler Leads the Pack at Travelers

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CROMWELL (Conn) – (Wire Service Report) – Scottie Scheffler bumped in a par putt at No. 18 for a second-round 60 to stand atop the leaderboard at 16 under through 36 holes of the Travelers Championship on Friday at the TPC River Highlands course, just south of Hartford, Connecticut.

Scheffler missed a long birdie by mere inches to the right on the par-4 18th before tapping in for the 10-under 60, one better than Norway’s Viktor Hovland (61 on Friday) and two better than Akshay Bhatia’s second-round 62.

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Hovland is alone in second, two back of Scheffler at 14 under. Bhatia ended the day in a tie for third at 12 under with Eric Cole (65).

“After birdieing 15, I was kind of like, ‘Oh, yeah, maybe 9 under now. A few more, you could shoot 59,’” Scheffler said.

“At the end of the day, I was very focused on just my execution out there. … I’ve put myself in position now this week. Go home, get some rest, and get ready for tomorrow.”

Overnight rain led to soft greens and low scoring at TPC River Highlands on Friday, a common theme in the second round albeit nothing entirely novel at the event.

With a round of 60, Scheffler ties Patrick Cantlay (2011) and Tommy Bolt (1954) for the top second round. Jim Furyk (58 in 2016) holds the tournament single-round scoring record and Cameron Young posted a 59 in the third round two years ago.

“The conditions were really good this morning. Softer golf course, not as much wind,” Scheffler said. “Going out yesterday in the afternoon, when the greens get firm out here and the wind starts to blow, it can get tricky pretty quickly.

“Yeah, going out this morning, you definitely had a feeling the conditions were going to be easier, so you need to go out there and try and take advantage of it.”

After opening with a birdie Friday, Scheffler made a bogey 5 at the second. The missed 6-footer on the par-4 was arguably his last mistake Friday before shifting into overdrive. He had 10 birdies on his final 16 holes in the second round with matching scores of 30 on the front and back nine in his bid to win the event for the second time in three years.

Hovland was 9 under on Friday with a 30 on the front nine and a highlight eagle on the par-5 13th.

“It was awesome stuff today,” said Hovland, who tied his career-low round on tour. “Obviously been kind of battling some stuff. You know, my golf swing had not felt all that comfortable. But, you know, I felt like things stabilized a lot more today, and I was able to put the ball in the fairway, hit some great iron shots, and putter finally cooperated a little bit more today.”

Bhatia walked off the course earlier with the lead before Hovland and Scheffler closed out the round emphatically. He had four birdies on each nine in a bogey-free trip around River Highlands, including putts from outside 26 feet at Nos. 3 and 10.

“I feel like I’ve putted really good the whole year,” Bhatia said. “I went through a stretch where when the greens were as good or consistent, even though I hit good putts, they just weren’t going in. … I feel like I kind of showed up this week, you know, did my same stuff, and my speed has been really good this week. I’ve had pretty stress-free putts.”

Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick had a late-afternoon run undone by bogeys at Nos. 16 and 18. He settled for a 66 and a tie for fifth at 10 under with Bud Cauley and Ben Griffin, each of whom also posted 66.

There was no 36-hole cut at the 72-man signature event. Notables down the board include defending champion Keegan Bradley (65) and U.S. Open champ Wyndham Clark (64) at 8 under, PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai of England (68) at 7 under and Justin Thomas (66) at 6 under.

–Field Level Media