LOS ANGELES – Defending champion Xander Schauffele defied gusting winds and sometimes driving rain on Friday, firing a five-under par 68 to take a one-stroke halfway lead in the US PGA Tour Tournament of Champions.
In wild weather on the par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii, Schauffele managed to shake off his early impatience and notch five birdies without a bogey on the way to a nine-under par total of 137.
He was one stroke clear of US compatriot Patrick Reed and overnight leader Joaquin Niemann of Chile.
Reed grabbed eight birdies in a seven-under par 66 and was joined on eight-under 138 by Niemann, who carded a one-under 72.
American Rickie Fowler was alone in fourth after a 71 for 139, one stroke in front of Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas – who closed with back-to-back bogeys.
“It was an interesting day,” Schauffele said.
Play was halted twice – with players remaining on the course – when heavy downpours left standing water on the course.
“I wasn’t really thinking about my score just because I was trying to stay as dry and warm as possible,” Schauffele said. “I got kind of frustrated early in the round, I was missing a few putts here and there. It was windy, the ball was moving on the greens.
“My attitude was a little iffy, I’d say, at times. Once the monsoon came through it was kind of a nice time for me to relax and let it pass.”
After birdies on the front nine’s two par-fives, the fifth and ninth, Schauffele rolled in a 12-footer at the 13th and buried another from 12 feet to take a share of the lead at 16.
He drained a seven-footer at the par-five 18th to grab sole possession of the lead from Reed – whose 66 matched Niemann’s first-round effort as low round of the tournament.
Reed had jump-started his round with a 41-foot birdie putt at the fourth and followed up with a two-foot birdie at the next before rolling in three birdies in a row at the eighth, ninth and 10th.