Cameron Tringale still leads the Genesis Scottish Open by three, but the winds over the Renaissance wouldn’t quite let him get away from the predators.
On a gusty afternoon with the inevitability of the flock of gulls circling a vacated on-course food court, Tringale was gradually hauled in.
The 34-year-old did however recover from a dip of four bogeys in five holes to play the tougher back nine pretty solidly. He finished with a two-over 72 for a halfway mark at seven-under.
Fitzpatrick and Schauffele gathering
Cameron Tringale is the @PGATOUR all-time leader in official earnings without a win ($16.98M). Only one player is currently within 6 shots of him at the Scottish Open.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) July 8, 2022
He was still three ahead of fellow Americans Gary Woodland and Doug Ghim at the end, with a group containing the threat of Matt Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffele lying just a shot further behind.
But there was no question that the sooner in the day you were safely in the clubhouse, the better off you were.
For example, Scotland’s Connor Syme shot a one-under 69 to add to his first round par 70 and was 32nd when he finished, at about 2pm. He was tied for 13th by the end of play.
There’s a smattering of quality behind the lead, Chile’s Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton (with a double bogey at the last) are both at two-under.
Rickie Fowler, the 2015 champion at Gullane is looking for an unlikely qualifying place for the Open. After a year and a half of fruitless, sometimes desperate struggles, he is also at two-under.
An even split among the top players
Weekend time 👊🏼 @ScottishOpen pic.twitter.com/AeWI7Vqgws
— Xander Schauffele (@XSchauffele) July 8, 2022
There was an even split of the 14 or the world’s top 15 staying for the weekend and those heading over the Queensferry Crossing.
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler (+5), Open champion Collin Morikawa (+5), the coming man Will Zalatoris (+5) and No 5 Justin Thomas (a shocking +10) all missed the cut.
Schauffele and Fitzpatrick (both -3) were the best of the top ranked group, and both had the worst of Thursday but the best in the early going on Friday. That seemed marginally the better draw in the end.
Schaffele’s 65 was the best of the day by a shot, from Fitzpatrick’s 66. It more than repaired the slight damage of the American’s 72 on Thursday, which wasn’t that bad anyway, he thought.
“I thought I played well yesterday,” he said. “Putting was very difficult in the wind but because it was coming in and out. As soon as you felt like you had an edge on the putting green, it would blow you off your feet.
“When you’re hitting into the wind, it’s really strange. You’re trying to hit a 140-yard shot at the (short) 6th to go 110 yards, but not too low or high or it’ll be in the wrong place.”
Fitzpatrick, the US Open champion, bogeyed his final two holes – the 8th and 9th, both dead into the wind – but he was flowing at six-under for the day before that.
“I was driving the ball well particularly in the wind, putting well. I’d just like to control my irons a bit better in the wind,” he said.
“I spoke to my coach this morning and changed a little thing. Definitely hit them a lot better this morning.”
‘All sorts of scores have won here’
A second-round 66 for @MattFitz94 🔥
Heading into moving day T4 💪#GenesisScottishOpen🏴 | #RolexSeries | #FedExCup pic.twitter.com/PjgXXOP1kZ
— Genesis Scottish Open (@ScottishOpen) July 8, 2022
Fitzpatrick lost a play-off here last year, so clearly likes the layout. But he hasn’t a clue what a winning score might be.
“All sorts of scores have won here,” he pointed out. “2019, it was quite windy, the golf course wasn’t that firm. 2020 was just really soft. Last year was a bit firmer and this year is really firm.
“I feel like it’s more of a test this year. The owners have done well to bring in the right people and make it a real test. It’s a decent golf course to come and play in preparation for an Open Championship.”
Patrick Cantlay, Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth are all on level par and within shouting distance.