Round 2 review: THE PLAYERS Championship

A quick look at the second round of THE PLAYERS, which was completed Saturday morning because of Friday’s weather delay.

THE LEADER

Adam Svensson holds a two-shot lead over PGA TOUR Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler at THE PLAYERS’ halfway mark. Svensson is making his PLAYERS debut, qualifying for the tournament by winning his first PGA TOUR title earlier this season at The RSM Classic. That event is held at Sea Island Golf Club on St. Simons Island, Georgia, just two hours from TPC Sawgrass. This is the first 36-hole lead of Svensson’s career. He is 9 under par, closing his second-round 67 with a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole.

“I feel like it's coming around,” Svensson said. “I've been putting pretty well the last couple weeks, and this is my first time in my career I've felt confident with the putter, and it's been awesome.

He will play in Saturday’s final group alongside another player who won in Georgia last year. That would be Scheffler, the Masters champion.

STORYLINES

Kelly becomes oldest to make PLAYERS cut, while Rory MCs: The cut line was oscillating between 1 and 2 over for much of the second round, but when it fell at 2 over, a bit of PLAYERS history was made. That allowed Jerry Kelly to become the oldest player to ever make the cut at THE PLAYERS. Kelly, 56, is in the field as the winner of the Kaulig Companies Championship, formerly known as the SENIOR PLAYERS.

Reigning FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy, however, will not be around for the weekend after firing 76-73. “You just have to be really on to play well here,” said McIlroy. “If you're a little off, it definitely magnifies where you are off. It is, it's a bit of an enigma. Some years I come here, and like it feels easier than others.

“It's just a tricky golf course, and you don't hit fairways and you've got your work cut out for you.”

Rahm WDs Before Round 2: The world No. 1 and top-ranked player in the FedExCup withdrew before the second round of THE PLAYERS due to illness. The three-time winner this season was scheduled to tee off at 12:56 p.m. with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Now, the top spot in both the world ranking and the FedExCup are up for grabs. Rahm also entered the week with the TOUR’s longest active cuts-made streak at 25.

Ramey Feels Wrath of 17: Chad Ramey, the first-round leader, stood on the 17th tee Friday – his eighth of the day – holding the lead. By two shots. Fifteen minutes later, he was two shots behind. Ramey hit two balls in the water on 17 and neither shot was poor, yet both trickled over the back. He found the green with his third attempt and two-putted for a quadruple-bogey 7. Ramey shot 75 and is T7 after two rounds.

Hovland, Spieth benefit from lucky bounces: Viktor Hovland had just made three consecutive birdies and stood on the par-3 17th facing a stiff breeze. Moments later he received one of the luckier bounces you’ll see on the Island Green. His ball bounced hard off the bulkhead in front of the green, went flying high into the air and ended in the fringe in the back of the green, a foot from the water. He got up and down for par. Hovland is in ninth place at 4 under par. Jordan Spieth, meanwhile, was fortunate when his tee shot on his final hole Friday bounced off a spectator’s knee and back into the fairway. Spieth then chipped in for eagle to make the cut.

NOTABLES

Scottie Scheffler (68-69, 2nd): Scheffler has a chance to regain the top spot in the world ranking, needing at least a top-five to supplant Rahm.

Collin Morikawa (65-73, T3): Looking to end a winless streak that dates to the 2021 Open Championship, Morikawa will enter the weekend three shots back of Svensson.

Jason Day (70-70, T9): The 2016 PLAYERS champion is seeking his first win since 2018. He arrived at TPC Sawgrass on the heels of four consecutive top-10 finishes.

Rickie Fowler (72-70, T20): The 2015 PLAYERS champion continues to exhibit promising signs. He is tied with former FedExCup champ Patrick Cantlay.

Max Homa (72-72, T41): The two-time winner this season had two birdies and two bogeys in the second round.

Justin Thomas (73-73, T65): Thomas birdied his 35th hole, the difficult par-3 eighth, to make the cut on the number.

Matt Fitzpatrick (76-71, MC): The reigning U.S. Open champion missed the cut by one. His stay at TPC Sawgrass included a tee shot into the water on 17 on Thursday.

Kurt Kitayama (73-76), MC): The winner of last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard will not be around for the weekend.

WORTH WATCHING