Philadelphia, PA …

Xander Schauffele edged closer to the double delight of not only of defending next fortnight’s Tour Championship crown but also securing the last place into the USA Ryder Cup team with a 64 for a two-shot lead on day two of the BMW Championship in Philadephia.

Schauffele, 24 capped his round with four birdies in his opening seven holes for a 13-under par tally on the Aronimink course and with Tour officials opting for early tee-times ahead of predicted afternoon storms

Zander Schaufelle – Photo @tourmiss

Schuaffele had signed for an opening 63 to trial one adrift of both Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy who shot scores of 62.

But both Woods and McIlroy faded with Woods missing a makeable par on 18 in a round of a level par 70 and drop to a share of 10^th place while McIlroy could manage just three birdies and seven less than a day earlier in his 69 to share seventh place on nine-under par.

Schaufelle arrived in Philadelphia lying 41^st on the FedEx Cup points table and needing to finish among the to-30 this week to be assured of teeing-up in the September 20^th season finale in Atlanta.

A year ago, Schaufelle shocked the golf world in recording a second victory in 2017 with success in the Tour Championship while this season he’s built on that winning form finishing runner-up in both the prestigious Players Championship and joint runner-up the 147^th Open Championship at Carnoustie.

Now after his first round in the third of four FedEx Cup Play-Off series events Schaufelle is projected to move to 15^th on the points table that would assure him of teeing-up in Atlanta.

“It was nice to back up the 63 with a 64, something I’ve never done in my career so good timing for that,” he said.

“I’m very aware of where I stood coming into the week. Obviously 41st isn’t what we wanted coming into the week but, you know, something good here would definitely help.”

Now after two rounds round in the third of four FedEx Cup Play-Off series events Schaufelle is projected to move to sixth on the points table that would assure him of teeing-up in Atlanta.

“I have I thought a lot more about the Ryder Cup the past couple of weeks, and I’m sort of in a position where I feel like a win is the only way I’d even be in consideration,” he said.

“Tony (Finau) is the guy right now. He just shot 64, as well. He’s not making it easy on anyone else trying to get on that team. So, you know, hats off to him for playing really well.”

England’s Justin Rose birdied three of his first four holes in a round of 63 to move into second place at 11-under par and one clear of the foursome of Rickie Fowler (65), Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (64), Sweden’s Alex Noren (66) and past PGA champion, Keegan Bradley (64).

Tony Finau, and vying with Schaufelle for the last USA ‘wildcard’ pick, is well-placed shooting a 64 to be tied in 10^th place on eight-under par.

Also sharing 10^th is Woods,  who had managed an eagle and seven birdies on day one of the $9 event could muster just three birdies but undid all his good work with a pair of closing bogeys.

“Very simple today as I didn’t make any putts,” said Woods in a round that included 33 putts and six more than a day earlier.

“I hit a lot of beautiful putts that were on top of the edge and then obviously hit a couple bad ones on the last hole but looked like all the putts were going to go in but they didn’t go in today.”