McKinney, Texas – Scotty Schaeffler has a six-shot lead in his hometown CJ Cup Byron Nelson after the rest of the field completed the second round, weather-extending on Saturday.
The top-ranked player was under 18 years old, and each of the first two days was suspended in a low round, with 63 at a 10-under 61 being suspended 63 hours late. Schaeffler’s 36-hole lead is the largest in Nelson’s history.
Sam Stevens, a native of nearby Fort Worth who lives in Wichita, Kansas, also finished his second round on Friday. He is under 12 years of age after the 65s in a row. Stevens is bogey-free in two rounds for the first time with the start of the 82 PGA Tour.
Defending champion Taylor Pendris finished 71 rounds on Friday, missing out on a 4-under cut.
Jordan Spieth played his first two rounds with Schaeffler, a fellow hometown favourite and former University of Texas golfer. Spieth was closed with two birdies on the final four holes, bringing it to 6 under.
Schaeffler and Spieth are looking for the first Nelson victory. Dallas residents made their debut on the PGA tour in Nelson. Spieth did it in 2010 as a 16-year-old and was competing on Sunday. Schaeffler’s debut arrived in 2014.
Tour rookies Ricky Castillo and Kurt Kitayama finished third with 11 under. Castillo began the day on his 18th fairway, opening at 66 before birding a par 5 hole for 65.
Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard and Venezuela’s Jonattan Vegas are another former Texas Longhorns player, under the age of 10. The 40-year-old Vegas missed the cut in his only time with nine Nelson starts last year. His best Nelson finish is his 9th tie, four years ago.
Journeyman Rico Hoey had tied two shots behind Scheffler after the first round to Vegas, but shot 73 and was 6 under.