Schauffele has Ryder Cup spot in sights

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk had an easy time deciding on three of his four picks for the Ryder Cup.

Xander Schauffele is making the last one a little more difficult.

Schauffele nearly holed a wedge on his second hole, rolled in a 40foot birdie putt in the middle of his round Friday and wound up with a 6 under at the BMW Championship for the lowest 36-hole score of his career (13-under 127) and a two-shot lead over Justin Rose.

He also made it more difficult on Tiger Woods, who again goes into a weekend having to catch up to the leaders.

One day after he opened with a 62 — his lowest score since his last victory more than five years ago — Woods went eight holes before his first birdie and didn’t make many after that. He finished with a 70 that left him five shots back in a tie for 12th at 8-under 132.

Hideki Matsuyama, who started the FedEx Cup playoffs at No. 76, had a 64 and was in a group three shots behind Schauffele that included Keegan Bradley, Alex Noren and Rickie Fowler. Matsuyama suddenly is in position to be among the 30 players who advance to East Lake in Atlanta in two weeks for the Tour Championship.

Rory McIlroy (69), FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas (67), Jason Day (64), Billy Horschel (67) and Charles Howell III (64) were at 9-under 131. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C. (69) is at 2 under.

Schauffele also needs a good week to get to East Lake, though he would like to extend his season an additional week in France at the Ryder Cup.

A runner-up at the British Open, the 24-year-old from San Diego finished 12th in the Ryder Cup standings. Furyk used three of his picks Tuesday night on Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and Woods — Nos. 9, 10 and 11 in the standings — and has one more pick after the BMW Championship.