Palmer had an eagle putt for the straight-out lead on 18, however the 35-footer stopped just short, leaving him at 68. Scheffler shot even-par 71 after the very best two-round start to his profession with a set of 64s.
Dou, who resides in the Dallas location and is on his home course at the TPC Craig Ranch, is the exact same age as the 26-year-old Scheffler. Eckroat is simply 2 years younger and says he played a lot of golf “from all ages” with the previous Texas Longhorn.
They may also be years apart on pedigree.
Scheffler has the 2022 Masters title amongst 6 profession triumphes — all given that February of in 2015 — and understands he will remain in the field for the PGA Championship next week at Oak Hill.
Eckroat would value the area in the field at Oak Hill that a win at the Nelson would make him. The previous Oklahoma State gamer has plenty at stake regardless.
“A lot of job security,” Eckroat said. “A lot of things come with winning a PGA Tour event, and just hoping to get that done.”
Dou, who settled in the Dallas location about 5 years back so he might pursue a profession in golf, doesn’t even wish to consider what a success would indicate in his home nation.
“It’s going to be big for sure,” said Dou, a three-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour. “There is a whole lot more golf to play, so I’m in good in the position like this, creating more chances, and that’s all I’m thinking.”
Vincent Norrman of Sweden shot 65 and was at 14-under with Scheffler, Jason Day (66) and Si Woo Kim (68). There were 25 gamers within 5 shots of the lead.
Mackenzie Hughes of Hamilton is connected for 15th at 11-under. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., is connected for 33rd at 9-under. Roger Sloan of Calgary is connected for 58th at 7-under.
Tyrrell Hatton, at No. 17 the second-highest ranked gamer in the field behind No. 2 Scheffler, shot 65 and was 13 under together with Patton Kizzire (64), Sung Kang (66) and Richy Werenski (68).
Eckroat had simply one par on the front 9, addressing a double-bogey at the par-3 seventh with his 6th and seventh birdies prior to the turn. The back 9 was a lot more regular — 6 pars and 3 birdies.
“It just didn’t really faze me like it normally would,” Eckroat said. “Really happy how I handled that.”
Dou opened with a 63 that was eclipsed by a course record-tying 60 from South Korean S.Y. Noh, who had a 2nd successive over-par around at 73 to fall out of contention.
After a 1-under 70 left him 5 shots behind Scheffler through 2 rounds, Dou silently approached the leaderboard prior to a 28-foot birdie putt on No. 16 put him in a tie for the lead.
Dou won’t need to fret about the big crowds following Scheffler, whose late flub kept him out of the last group. But he is a 54-hole leader for the very first time.
“I think nerves is the same thing as me playing on the Korn Ferry,” Dou said. “You get into it and you’re going to be nervous no matter what.”
Scheffler might have taken a two-shot lead at the par-4 12th however missed out on a brief birdie putt on the second-toughest hole, which was transformed after playing as a par-5 in the Nelson’s very first 2 years at the TPC Craig Ranch.
He missed out on 2 more good possibilities at birdie on the back 9 prior to the problem on 18, when he likewise missed out on the green on a simple method shot after lastly leaving the bunker.
“I just thinned it,” Scheffler said of the very first bunker shot. “I wasn’t even thinking about the lip. I just hit a terrible shot.”
Palmer, a four-time winner on trip without a solo triumph in 13 years, had an unsteady start to the back 9 prior to completing with 3 birdies in 5 holes, topped by the tap-in at 18.
“It was a patient day,” said the 46-year-old Palmer, who matured in West Texas however resides in the Dallas location. “I knew I was going to be one or two back, worst case. It’s going to be nice to be in the final group again, and we’ll give it our all.”
Two-time protecting champ K.H. Lee shot a 2nd successive 68 and was 7-under. The last gamer to win a PGA Tour occasion 3 successive times was Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic from 2009-11.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press
