Fowler, Scheffler tied for lead in desert
LA QUINTA >> Rickie Fowler came to The American Express for the first time in six years to prepare for the next two weeks at Torrey Pines and TPC Scottsdale.
He’s ahead of schedule, shooting an 8-under 64 on Friday at PGA West’s Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course for a share of the second-round lead with Scottie Scheffler.
In position to make the trip over the hill to San Diego and Torrey Pines with his sixth PGA Tour title and first since Phoenix a year ago, Fowler set up shop last week at the nearby Madison Club after tying for fifth at Kapalua in the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
“It was nice to get a little work in, get some good practice and play out here in the desert to get used to being back in the desert,” said Fowler, who grew up about an hour away in Murrieta.
He played his final nine in 6-under 30, making a 6-foot eagle putt on the par-5 fourth, four birdies and two big par saves on Nos. 6 and 7.
“It’s always nice when you don’t give shots back, especially in a tournament like this where typically the scores are going to be on the lower side,” Fowler said. “Bogey almost feels like you’re giving two shots back.”
At 15-under 129, he had the lowest 36-hole score of his PGA Tour career.
Playing in the same third of the field as Fowler in the pro-am event, Scheffler also opened with rounds of 65 and 64. He birdied the first four holes and six of the first seven Friday, then rebounded from a double bogey on the par-4 18th with an eagle and two birdies in his second nine.
“Wish the double wasn’t in there, but it was still a very good score,” Scheffler said.
The 23-year-old former University of Texas star is in his first season on the PGA Tour after winning twice and topping the Korn Ferry Tour Finals and overall points lists.
Henderson, Park tied
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. >> Canada’s Brooke Henderson parlayed four birdies and a late eagle into Friday’s hottest round and a share of the lead at the LPGA’s season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions.
Henderson had a 5-under 66 to join Inbee Park of South Korea at 9-under
133 heading to the weekend at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando.
Henderson, No. 3 in the Rolex Rankings and the highest-ranked player among the 26 LPGA players in the field, had a clean scorecard until three-putting from the back collar at the difficult, 192-yard closing hole for her lone bogey.
She wasn’t pleased with the finish, but she also wasn’t going to allow it to sour a solid body of work on a day when the scoring average was nearly 71. Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, whose lone LPGA victory is the 2018 Blue Bay LPGA in China, shot 69 and is alone in third, two shots back.
Park, already a World Golf Hall of Fame member, does not usually compete this early in the season. But with 2020 being an Olympic year, the gold medalist in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 adjusted her winter schedule to play weeks earlier than normal. Park shot a bogey-free 68 Friday.
Laporta up 1 as Koepka struggles
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES >> Francesco Laporta earned a one-shot lead halfway through the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after carding a 9-under 63, while top-ranked Brooks Koepka struggled on Friday.
The Italian moved to 10 under after two rounds. One shot behind were Matthew Fitzpatrick of England (67) and Rafa Cabrera Bello of Spain (68).
Koepka shot a 3-over 75 to drop to 3 under and into a tie for 35th. It’s Koepka’s first tournament since October, when he aggravated a knee injury which caused him to miss the Presidents Cup.