Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker has put himself in the running for the title at the Phoenix Open and that was despite a none-too-happy finish in the second round. If he wins, he will become the oldest winner on the PGA Tour.
The 53-year-old US Ryder Cup captain shot a 5-under 66 to get within a stroke of leader Xander Schauffele entering the weekend at TPC Scottsdale.
Schauffele, tied second last week at Torrey Pines, played the back nine in 6-under 30 in the afternoon for a 64. He was at 12-under 130.
Stricker scrambled for par on the eighth and then had a bogey on his closing hole, the ninth.
Stricker will turn 54 on February 23 and he won the last of his 12 PGA TOUR titles in 2012 at Kapalua. Sam Snead is the oldest winner at 52 years, 10 months and 8 days in the 1965 Greater Greensboro event. Seven players have won in their 50's, the last Davis Love III at 51 in the 2015 Wyndham Championship.
Stricker has his wife, Nicki, working as his caddie this week.
Keegan Bradley was tied for second after a 65. He made 10 birdies in a 14-hole stretch from his 12th hole Thursday to the seventh Friday -- all on the front nine.
Scottie Scheffler (65), Sam Burns (68) and Kyoung-Hoon Lee (66) were 10 under. Scheffler hit a foot for birdie in the morning on the 16th. Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka were 8 under.
( With inputs from ANI )
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