LA Jolla, CA – Nothing pleases CBS Sports Executives or PGA Tour Brass than the final group featuring two of the best players in the world, Scotty Scheffler and Lori McIlroy. Golf fans will love it too.
That dream almost came to life with the Tory Pines on Saturday when Schaeffler and McIlroy raised the leaderboard in the second round on Friday.
However, Schaeffler, who is second at 7 under, will head out to the final group alongside Davis Stompson, the 36-hole leader with an overall 8 under. Thompson fired a 6-under 66 on Friday, matching the lowest round of the day. LudvigÅberg also fired 66, but Scheffler could only convened a 5-under 67.
Meanwhile, McIlroy is in fourth solo place with a 5 under. The Northern Irish, like Schaeffler, shot 67 on Friday. He plays with Denny McCarthy. Denny McCarthy birded the par 5 9th hole on Friday to go 6 under for the championship.
“I hit a lot of really good shots. I played well for the most part and I scrambled well,” McIlroy said of his second round.
“I wasn't using par 5s. I only made one birdie on the nine, hit the fairway at 6am, didn't make a birdie, then birdie on the back nine. Not. Come on, I made up for it elsewhere, it was good, but I know I'll go on weekends, I need to play par 5 better.”
If McIlroy is available for par 5 on Saturday, he will need to join the final group on Sunday. McIlroy is playing well just as he did when he won Pebble Beach, despite him having only birded three of his eight par 5s so far this week.
Meanwhile, Schaeffler wants to straighten the driver over the weekend. He missed nine fairways for the second day in a row on Friday. But he only made two bozzies. This is proof of his incredible iron play and short game.
“I'm pretty pleased with today's score,” Schaeffler said.
“I didn't drive the ball, but as I wanted, I felt like a lot of positions were stopped today, but I got some muscular shots on the green, It did a good job of going up and down when needed. Likewise.”
Schaeffler's Day highlights Come to the par 5 6th hole, where he drilled a hole from the bunker for the Eagle 3. That shot leapt to 7 under for the championship and bounced back to the lead's share.
“It was a good example of missing on the right side,” Schaeffler said of his shot on the 6th.
“I hit two really good shots to get there, so I hit a nice bunker shot there. I was lucky to see the ball coming in.”
Just as Schaeffler was lucky to see his ball in trickle for me, golf fans can watch him and McIlroy play together in Sunday's final pairing. Both players do their job to make it happen on Saturday, but if possible, the entire golf world is an open course in the US that tests the best of the world and brings out only the best. I'm looking for a treat at the Tory Pines.
Will Schaeffler and McIlroy go head-on in Tory? Everyone signs up to watch that reservation. Hopefully it will happen.
Jack Mirco is a golf staff writer who plays SB Nation. Follow him with x @jack_milko.
