FORT WORTH, Texas — Jordan Spieth isn’t going into the weekend with the lead, but he’s feeling good about his chances to win another plaid jacket at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Spieth, a native of Texas who played for UT Austin, posted a bogey-free, 4-under 66 Friday, putting him four shots off the lead. Fellow Longhorn Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked player in the world, is among the leaders at 9-under alongside another UT product, Beau Hossler, and Scott Stallings.
As always, though, Spieth is a player to watch to make a weekend run.
“I feel good just because the ball-striking has been really solid for me,” Spieth said. “I feel good about being able to adapt, make adjustments and strike it better on the weekend. Then the hole is starting to look bigger and bigger.
“I feel good about tackling this place in some tough conditions.”
Those conditions involve wind gusts of up to 30 mph over the weekend. That could lead to some high scores, given Colonial’s tight fairways and small greens.
Spieth said if he duplicated his 5-under score from the opening two rounds that it may be enough to win a second plaid jacket.
“I think I can shoot 5-under on the weekend, and I think you’re looking at that being — with what’s forecasted, something around what you need,” said Spieth, who won in 2016 and has three runner-up finishes (2015, 2017, 2021).
A score of only 10-under last won this event in 2017 when Kevin Kisner was crowned champion. Spieth finished one stroke back that year.
Regardless of what the number is by Sunday afternoon, Spieth has momentum going into the weekend. He played solidly all day Friday, starting off on No. 10 and opening with back-to-back birdies. He then rolled in a 32-footer for birdie on No. 14 and closed his round with a 35-footer for birdie on No. 9.
On the day, Spieth made 133 feet of putts compared to 53 feet during the opening round Thursday.
“Just putted beautifully today. Better speed control, left it in the right spots,” Spieth said. “I think I took advantage when I could.”
While Spieth is in the mix, he’ll have to move his way up the leaderboard over the weekend. Scheffler is the biggest name and in position to win for the fifth time this season. Hossler has yet to win on the PGA Tour, while Stallings has three victories with his last coming in 2014.
Scheffler acknowledged the difficult conditions expected for the weekend.
“It’s going to be challenging,” said Scheffler, who has yet to make a bogey in the tournament. “The greens, actually for Colonial having bentgrass, they’re pretty firm for the summertime here. With the way the winds are going to blow, it’s going to be a very challenging day. These fairways aren’t wide, and when it starts blowing like that, it can create some big gusts and awkward angles around this place. It’s going to be a challenging weekend for sure.”
Television coverage of Round 3 is from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Golf Channel and then 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on CBS.
TCU shutout
TCU fans won’t have a golfer to cheer on this weekend.
Tom Hoge missed the cut for the third straight year as he couldn’t overcome a 5-over 75 on Thursday. Paul Barjon also struggled Thursday with a 10-over 80, leaving him on the wrong side of the cut line in his Colonial debut.
Justin Thomas, Justin Rose and Will Zalatoris were among other notable players who did not make the cut.
