Xander Schauffele leads Sentry TOC after second-round 68

Defending Sentry TOC champion Xander Schauffele made a statement on Friday, where rainy conditions and gusty winds created playing conditions that were very different from Thursday’s opening round. Schauffele followed up a first-round 69 with a second-round 68, leaping from three shots behind first-round leader Joaquin Niemann at the start of his round to the outright leader by one shot at the end of the day.

Schauffele has yet to card a bogey in 36 holes at the newly revamped Plantation course, and his steady, excellent play on Friday included two birdies on the front nine and three on the back nine. The 26-year-old has four career PGA Tour victories and tied the Plantation course record of 62 in the final round last year en route to his win.

But at the halfway point in Maui, there is still plenty of golf to be played — and plenty of formidable competitors to fend off. Notable among them is Patrick Reed, who rebounded from a so-so 72 on Thursday to tie the low round of the tournament with a 66 on Friday. Reed launched himself 14 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for second at eight under par overall, one shot shy of Schauffele’s lead. First-round leader Niemann is also still in the mix after a round of one under par on Friday, bringing him to eight under par overall and into T2 alongside Reed.

Other contenders include Rickie Fowler, who had a round of two under par on Friday to stay within two shots of the lead in solo fourth, and Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas, who trail Schauffele’s lead by three shots at six under par overall.

Additional Friday movers included Gary Woodland, who climbed 13 spots into T9 after posting a second-round 69, and Graeme McDowell, who also shot 69 and climbed 11 spots into T15.

Jon Rahm, the tournament’s highest ranked player and betting favorite before play began, is T9 at four under par overall.

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