Nick Taylor continues to take care of some unfinished business at TPC Scottsdale.
A year after finishing runner-up to Scottie Scheffler, Taylor will carry a one-shot lead heading into another marathon day Sunday at the WM Phoenix Open.
Inclement weather has thrown this week’s tournament schedule out of whack. After the second round wrapped up Saturday afternoon, the third round’s final grouping of Taylor, Sahith Theegala and Andrew Novak still have 12 holes to finish. Players will not be re-grouped between the third and final rounds.
Taylor, who jumpstarted his week with an opening-round 60, hooped a 48-foot putt for birdie at the par-4 fifth hole, and at 13 under he sat just ahead of Theegala, who two years suffered a heartbreaking defeat in Scottsdale.
“I feel like I just have good vibes here after last year,” Taylor said. “I played great last year and just got beat I felt like. I wasn’t probably expecting to shoot a 60 or something crazy low the first day, but I figure I have good energy here now, and a lot of years in a row I didn’t.
“I wouldn’t say it’s unfinished business, but I’m definitely in good position to try to finish it off.”
Novak and Doug Ghim are tied for third at 11 under while Jordan Spieth birdied back-to-back holes before play was suspended for darkness. Spieth’s birdie at the par-4 ninth came from 33 feet.
“I was trying to slow play on 9 and not hit the putt,” Spieth said afterward. “We knew they were going to blow the horn any second, and then it was time to go, so I hit it and hoped and I was just trying to get it somewhere honestly in a three-foot circle. It was pretty dark on the green. Certainly fortunate there.”
Scheffler, the world No. 1 and two-time defending champ, was even par through seven holes and sits T-10 at 8 under.
