Scheffler Grips Change Fuels Phoenix Open Revival And Contention

Scottie Scheffler stayed alive at the Phoenix Open after a major turnaround in round two, crediting a grip adjustment that helped extend a long made-cut run on the PGA Tour and kept the world number one within range of another title despite starting the day outside contention.

Scheffler followed an opening 73, which left Scheffler at two over, with a composed six-under 65 at TPC Scottsdale. That moved Scheffler to four under overall and preserved a cut streak that now stands at 66 PGA Tour events, continuing a sequence that stretches back to the 2022 FedEx St Jude Championship.

Ryo Hisatsune set the target at the Phoenix Open with an 11-under total, one stroke ahead of Hideki Matsuyama, leaving Scheffler seven shots behind the clubhouse leader but still mathematically in the race for a 21st PGA Tour victory as the weekend rounds approach in Arizona.

Hisatsune answered Matsuyama’s front-nine surge with an eight-under 63 that featured four birdies and an eagle between holes 13 and 17. Matsuyama had briefly moved ahead after a run of six straight birdies on the opening nine, yet finished one back, while the chasing group remained tightly bunched behind the leading pair.

Across the leaderboard, Pierceson Coody and first-round leader Chris Gotterup shared third at eight under, with Matt Fitzpatrick and John Parry part of a group a further stroke behind. South Korea’s Si Woo Kim produced the best round of the day, shooting a nine-under 62 that included eight birdies and an eagle after starting with a bogey on the second round.

Scheffler has history of recovering from large deficits, with two previous wins on the PGA Tour when trailing by more than two shots, including the 2022 Phoenix Open, where Scheffler overturned a nine-shot gap to secure Scheffler’s first victory at this level, something that will give confidence heading into the final two rounds.

Reflecting on the swing adjustment that sparked the revival, Scheffler highlighted a small technical discovery. "I've always been a proponent of saying you can't really find it during tournament week, but I found a little something in my grip yesterday that seemed to really help me get my hands more securely on the club," Scheffler said. Struck it much better during the second round and felt less uncertain over iron shots after feeling lost for stretches in the opening round.

Two-time Phoenix Open winner Scheffler also spoke about how quickly momentum can shift at TPC Scottsdale, stressing the importance of patience. "Look at the start of the round for me. Front right pin on 1; it's down off the right; very tough pin. Next hole, it's almost a pin you can't get at, and it's these little things," he said. "If you start chasing itout here, you're going to get behind it real quick. Maybe that is why I made so many mistakes yesterday."

That experience shapes Scheffler’s conservative strategy on difficult early holes, where aggressive play can bring quick trouble. Scheffler pointed to a cleaner scorecard in round two as evidence of better control, with fewer errors off the tee and more stable iron play, helped by the revised grip that provided extra security through impact and more confidence on approach shots.

Phoenix Open leaderboard and Scottie Scheffler position

Key names jostled behind Hisatsune and Matsuyama as the cut line claimed several high-profile players. Two-time Phoenix Open champion Brooks Koepka finished at two over and missed the weekend in only Koepka’s second PGA Tour start since reinstatement, underlining how demanding conditions around TPC Scottsdale proved across the field.

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After two rounds, the Phoenix Open picture featured a strong mix of established stars and rising players. The leaders and notable scores can be summarised as follows:

Scheffler’s revival, combined with Hisatsune’s late-round scoring burst and Si Woo Kim’s low 62, sets up an intriguing weekend at the Phoenix Open, with the narrow gaps between the chasing contenders giving scope for further movement and leaving Scheffler needing another charge from behind at a venue where Scheffler has already succeeded twice.