FedEx St. Jude Championship 2024: 3 Instant Reactions to Friday Leaderboard Scores
The second round of the 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship concluded on Friday, with several golfers battling for the top spot on the leaderboard heading into the weekend.
At the end of the day, Denny McCarthy and Hideki Matsuyama were tied for the No. 1 spot though two rounds at 11-under.
McCarthy shot a seven-under 63 during the second round, while Matsuyama carded a six-under 64 on Friday.
Scottie Scheffler stayed within striking distance of the top of the leaderboard, sitting at No. 4 through two rounds. Xander Schauffele wasn't able to keep up his strong play after an impressive first round, slipping down to a tie for the No. 13 spot.
Denny McCarthy Fights Through Injury to Stand Atop the Leaderboard
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McCarthy tied with Matsuyama at No. 1 heading into the weekend due to a strong second-round performance at TPC Southwind.
McCarthy showcased his putting skills throughout the day, ending with nine birdies. His only blemishes were a pair of bogeys on the 7th hole and the 12th hole.
The 31-year-old is playing with a torn labrum in his left hip, which has caused him to make an adjustment to his swing.
"It's just coming through on the downswing a little bit," McCarthy said, per Ben Everill of PGATour.com. "It's just hard to maybe get a little more rotation, push up through the ground than I would like. It's been okay. The heat really helps it. It really loosens it up. But I've had to spend a lot of time post-round, pre-round getting it loose, getting it ready to go to play a full round."
After entering the week at No. 45 in the FedExCup standings, McCarthy was able to strengthen his chances of earning one of the final 50 spots and advancing to the BMW Championship.
Scottie Scheffler Stays Near the Top of the Leaderboard, Xander Schauffele Struggles
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Two of the world's top golfers wrapped up commendable first-round performances, although one was unable to maintain the momentum through Friday.
After coming off the first Olympic gold medal of his career, Scottie Scheffler followed up a four-under 66 in the first round with a five-under 65 in the second round and currently sits two shots off the lead.
It was a clean day for Scheffler, as he didn't record a bogey. He was also able to keep pace with McCarthy and Matsuyama near the top of the leaderboard by recording three consecutive birdies from the 15th hole through the 17th hole.
As for Schauffele, he's six strokes off the lead despite carding an identical first-round four-under 66 as Scheffler.
Schauffele started off strong with four birdies through his first seven holes on Friday, although he wasn't able to record another until No. 16. He also finished with a double bogey on the 12th hole.
Both players are still in great shape to make the BMW Championship, although Scheffler is closer to a victory at TPC Southwind compared to Schauffele.
Hideki Matsuyama Holds a Share of the Lead Entering the Weekend
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It's been an eventful summer for Matsuyama, as he earned a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Prior to the St. Jude Championship, Matsuyama's caddie and swing coach had their passports and visas stolen during a stop in London. They weren't able to make the trip to Memphis due to the lack of passports.
It didn't appear to affect Matsuyama at TPC Southwind on Friday, as he finished with seven birdies. He carded just one bogey on the 4th hole.
Matsuyama doesn't need to win in order to advance after entering the week at No. 8 in the FedEx Cup standings, although he's still in the midst of a commendable bounce-back performance after he previously missed the cut at the Wyndham Championship.
The winner of the St. Jude Championship will earn 2,000 FedEx Cup points, while the runner-up will receive 1,200 points.
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