Friday's golf: Adam Scott seeing results he needs at just the right time

Wilmington, Del. — Adam Scott felt he was playing well enough that he should start seeing some better scores at some point. That moment appears to have arrived at just the right time.

Scott put together another tidy round Friday except for one hole — a double bogey on the 17th — for a 2-under 69 that gave him a one-shot lead going into the weekend at the BMW Championship.

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler opened with three straight birdies and then cooled for 67, while Jordan Spieth's hopes for a bogey-free round ended by a few inches when his tee shot caught the sticky first cut instead of the fairway. His bogey gave him a 67.

They were one shot behind, along with Cameron Young (68) and Corey Conners (67).

Scott, who was at 8-under 134, wasn't sure how much golf would be on is plate in August. He was No. 77 in the FedEx Cup, not assured of even making it to the BMW Championship, until a tie for fifth last week in the FedEx Cup playoffs opener.

That was enough of a spark, and now he's looking to cash in as one of the top 30 players who make it to the FedEx Cup finale next week in Atlanta for the Tour Championship.

“I’m in great shape going into the weekend. I don’t even know when the last time I led a tournament was,” Scott said.

He won at Riviera in 2020. His last 36-hole lead was at Doral for a World Golf Championship in 2016, which he went on to win.

“I certainly haven’t had my best stuff for quite a while. It’s been a battle for sure,” he said. “But that’s how this game is. I’d like to make the most of this position now over the next 36 holes.”

A brief look behind would remind him it won't be easy, and the Australian knows this.

Spieth has looked solid over two days at Wilmington Country Club, with only one bogey in each round. He missed the cut last week and feels his postseason didn't start until Monday when he arrived at Wilmington. That's not just about trying to erase a bad memory.

Spieth headed to southern tip of Baja California after the British Open, wanting a break before the hectic finish to the season. One problem. Upon returning to Dallas, every course he plays was closed, and his only option was hitting from a stall in a practice facility.

Only when he arrived in Tennessee last week did he realize his swing had stayed on vacation, and his coach wasn't available to join him until Delaware. He turned it around quickly.

“I feel like I’m doing everything good, nothing spectacular, but I feel like in every facet of my game, it’s trending and improving, and I know what to do to get it better and better,” Spieth said. “Certainly feels really good. Coming into the weekend, it’s a good opportunity to just have a lot of trust, focus on trying to win this golf tournament, not think about next week.”

Scheffler also missed the cut last week and joined Spieth and others at Pine Valley on Sunday. And then he opened with three short birdies, didn't make too many mistakes the rest of the way and will be in the final group with Scott on Saturday.

Conner is at No. 29 and is in a great spot to protect his position for East Lake. Young seems to play great every week — twice contending in majors, five runner-up finishes for the season. One win would tick a lot of boxes on his list of goals.

Xander Schauffele holed out with a wedge on the 17th hole for an eagle and a 69, and he was in he group two shots behind that included defending champion Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy, who chipped in for birdie on his final hole for another 68.

Scott didn't get a finish quite that good. He was sailing along on a warm, breezy afternoon when he pushed his tee shot near a tree. The lie was clean, but his punch shot toward the fairway hung up in rough. From there he didn't reach the green or get up-and-down, and all that meant a double bogey.

“It’s a good reminder for the weekend that I’ve really got to keep it under control and don’t want to have too many get off the map and get out of position around here,” Scott said.

LPGA 

Sotogrande, Spain — Jessica Korda extended her lead to six shots going into the final day of the of the Aramco Team Series in Sotogrande and also won the team event Friday.

Korda shot a 4-under 68 in the second round, a day after carding an 11-under 61 that broke the course record and equaled the lowest round in relation to par ever made on the Ladies European Tour.

She was six shots ahead of Pauline Roussin of France (68), while Nelly Korda — Jessica's sister — was another shot back in third after a 69.

In the 36-hole team event, the quartet including Jessica Korda, Tereza Melecka, Noora Komulainen and amateur Malcolm Borwick won by one shot after finishing on a total of 33-under over two rounds.

“I think we just really had a good vibe out there,” Korda said. “We tried to keep it as light as possible. It was a lot harder today. The wind was definitely up, so it was a bit tough, but everyone played and contributed. When somebody was out, another person had their back – the beauty of team golf."

PGA Champions Tour

Endicott, N.Y. — Darren Clarke, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh shared the lead at 7-under 65 on Friday in the DICK’S Sporting Goods Open, with four more major champions right behind at En-Joie Golf Club.

Padraig Harrington and Duffy Waldorf followed at 66, and Ernie Els, Mike Weir, Y.E. Yang and Brandt Jobe shot 67. Waldorf and Jobe are the only non-major winners in the top nine.

Clarke won the Senior British Open last month at Gleneagles.

“It’s nice to win any time, but obviously winning a senior major was more special and I feel good about my game right now,” Clarke said. “That’s not to say I’ll have another couple days like I did today, but I’m going to do my best.”

Singh opened birdie-birdie-eagle.

“Played nicely, kept the ball in play, which you need on this golf course,” Singh said. “Just tried to make a lot of birdies.”

Charles Schwab Cup leader Steven Alker was tied for 39th at 71. Bernhard Langer, the 64-year-old star who the event in 2014, also shot 71.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, the Boeing Classic winner last week outside Seattle to match Alker and Jerry Kelly for the tour victory lead with three, shot 72. John Daly, the winner of the PGA Tour's 1992 B.C. Open at the course, also had a 72.

Defending champion Cameron Beckman shot a 73.