The leaderboard is shaping up very nicely at Kasumigaseki Country Club with two days left of the men's Olympic golf tournament
Xander Schauffele matched the low round of the Olympic Golf tournament so far with a 63 on day two to lead at the near-halfway mark.
Play was suspended due to to dangerous weather with a few groups still yet to complete their rounds at Kasumigaseki Country Club.
Schauffele, whose Taiwanese mother was brought up in Japan, sits at 11-under-par after 36 holes as he heads into the weekend as bookies’ favourite to take gold for Team USA.
The four-time PGA Tour winner’s 63 featured two eagles, six birdies and two bogeys, with an eagle and three birdies coming in a stunning final five hole stretch.
He is one ahead of Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz at 10-under, two clear of a group on eight-under that includes Masters winner and home favourite Hideki Matsuyama.
Hideki still has two holes left to complete but was six-under for his second round through 16 holes thanks to six birdies and no dropped shots.
Rory McIlroy, making his Olympics debut, made five birdies and an eagle to charge up the leaderboard and give himself, and Ireland, a great shot at a medal on Sunday.
The four-time Major winner sits at seven-under-par after 36 holes and is just four strokes back with two days of golf left to play.
Whilst he may not be patriotic as such, McIlroy appears to be loving his Olympic experience so far.
“I think when you’re a competitor and athlete and your sport is in the Olympics, you feel part of something that’s bigger than your sport in general,” he said.
“So I think if I’ve learnt anything already this week it’s that you feel you’re part of something bigger, which is a cool thing.”
McIlroy’s Irish teammate Shane Lowry is also at seven-under after a 65.
Team GB’s Paul Casey is another at seven-under, with Tommy Fleetwood at three-under.
First round leader Sepp Straka carded a level-par 71 to remain at eight-under.
Round two continues at 11.45pm GMT, with the final group going out in the third round at 3.18am GMT.
This article Schauffele Leads Olympic Golf As Matsuyama And McIlroy Charge appeared first on Golf Monthly.