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PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — The cream rose to the highest of the Gamers Championship leaderboard in Friday’s second spherical at TPC Sawgrass.
First got here Xander Schauffele, the world’s Tenth-ranked participant, taking pictures a 7-under-par 65 whereas carding eight birdies en path to taking the early lead at 10-under par.
Then got here 26-year-old smooth-swinging Swede, Ludvig Åberg, storming to the event lead from his afternoon tee time, taking pictures a 9-under 63 to face at 12-under, two photographs away from Schauffele.
Cam Younger, the Westchester native out of Sleepy Hole Nation Membership, is three photographs off the lead at 9-under after taking pictures 67 on Friday.
Justin Thomas and Canadian Corey Conners are 4 again at 8-under after Thomas posted a 68 and Conners a 67.
The day, nonetheless, belonged first to Schauffele, who hit all 14 fairways along with his sport in full precision, after which Åberg, who carded six birdies and two eagles in his glowing spherical.
After taking pictures a 6-under-par 29 on the entrance 9, he was chasing the event course file held by Thomas and Tom Hoge at 62, however fell simply quick with a bogey on No. 15, interrupting his file pursuit.
The golf world has been ready for a efficiency like this from Åberg in one of many world’s greatest tournaments. His sport and his poise have been uncanny for his age for a number of years now.
He was named to the European 2023 Ryder Cup group in Italy earlier than he’d ever even performed in a serious championship.
For all his potential, although, Åberg has gained simply two PGA Tour tournaments — the 2023 RSM Traditional and the 2025 Genesis Invitational.
A Gamers Championship title would go well with him fairly nicely.
Åberg, who lives close by, calls TPC Sawgrass, the place he practices lots, his residence course.
“I play right here from time to time,’’ he stated. “I’ve seen the golf course in in all probability each wind attainable, which I do know this week we’re going to have some totally different winds.
“However Sawgrass can also be a golf course the place it’s important to execute golf photographs, and I like the golf course as a result of it’s proper in entrance of you. It’s very easy, however you continue to need to do it. Is there a bonus? Perhaps. However you continue to need to hit the photographs.’’
Åberg and Schauffele on the high of the board, together with big-time gamers like Younger, Thomas and others, ought to make for weekend fireworks at TPC.
“I wasn’t conscious of all of the fairways [I] hit,’’ Schauffele stated. “It was undoubtedly good to hit all of them, particularly on this property. Undoubtedly for essentially the most half, I felt like I used to be in management and felt like I used to be attacking the golf course versus enjoying defensive.’’
Schauffele stated he spent a while on the vary along with his swing coach, Chris Como, on Thursday night to kind issues out. Apparently, that was work nicely price it.
“I felt prefer it was shut,’’ he stated. “I hit quite a lot of actually good iron photographs [Thursday], and if I’m doing that, I do know the motive force and form of longer stuff isn’t too far off.’’
Younger, who’s ranked fifteenth on this planet and was the very best participant on the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup group, has gained solely as soon as on the PGA Tour, the 2025 Wyndham Championship. So a win this week could be, by far, his biggest accomplishment.
“I’ve anticipated much more of myself than what I’ve performed all through my 4 years on Tour,’’ Younger stated. “I really feel like [being in contention at TPC] makes it really feel nearer to doing quite a lot of stuff that I wish to do, and on the identical time I’ve anticipated those self same issues of myself since I used to be 12.’’
Requested if he’s discovering extra “consolation’’ with being in rivalry, he stated, “Getting there. I really feel like we maintain constructing perception in what we do.’’
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