Ben Griffin and Matti Schmid fired matching 7-under 63s on Friday to claim a share of the 36-hole lead at the 2025 Charles Schwab Challenge. Both players sit at 11-under-par through two rounds at Colonial Country Club, with John Pak trailing by just two strokes heading into the weekend.
For Griffin, the co-lead caps a stellar month. After a top ten finish at the PGA Championship and a team win at the Zurich Classic, the 27-year-old is back in contention at Colonial, matching his career-best opening 36-hole score on TOUR. His Friday 63 was also his best solo round of the season.
“I’m feeling really confident right now,” Ben Griffin said after the round. “The game feels solid, and I love where I’m at mentally going into the weekend.”
Ben Griffin told Double Take Sports the key to maintaining his strong performance throughout the weekend will be “trying to give myself a lot of birdie looks.”
Matti Schmid, meanwhile, delivered a bogey-free round and his 15th career blemish-free card in 215 PGA TOUR rounds. Still searching for his first win, the 25-year-old German is playing some of the best golf of his career. His 63 is tied for the lowest of the tournament so far and marks a sharp turnaround from a missed cut in his debut here last year.
Underdogs in the Mix
Just two strokes behind is John Pak, whose opening round 63 was the lowest of his PGA TOUR career. The former Florida State standout hasn’t finished inside the top ten in 27 previous TOUR starts but is now in prime position for a breakthrough weekend.
Chris Gotterup sits in solo fourth at 8-under after rounds of 67 and 65. The 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic winner has quietly put together a consistent season with four straight top-20 finishes and is now eyeing his second career title.
Tied at 7-under in fifth are Akshay Bhatia and Ryo Hisatsune, both looking to make moves in the Aon Swing 5 standings and secure a coveted spot in next week’s Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.
Familiar Names Just Hanging On
Rickie Fowler carded a front-nine 29—tying his career best—to vault into a tie for seventh at 6-under.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, coming off a dominant victory at the PGA Championship, sits at 1-under through two rounds and will need a vintage weekend performance to climb into contention. The reigning FedExCup champion has made the cut in 55 consecutive starts—second only to Xander Schauffele—and remains one of the most dangerous players on TOUR, even from a few strokes back.
Scheffler’s slow start at Colonial is a contrast to his recent torrid form, but if anyone can mount a charge over the final 36 holes, it’s the three-time major champion.
Scottie Scheffler, fresh off his PGA Championship win, shot +1 in Round 2 at the #CharlesSchwabChallenge. He sits tied at 48th and -1 overall—right on the cut line and 10 shots back from leader Ben Griffin. Not the start he wanted but still time to make a surge over the weekend. pic.twitter.com/uMfkAKs8NW
— Double Take Sports (@dbltakesports) May 23, 2025
Jordan Spieth, the 2016 Charles Schwab champion, posted a second-round 71 and narrowly made the cut on the number at even par. Defending champion Davis Riley was not as fortunate, missing the cut by two strokes after a disappointing 2-over total.
Champions’ Choice invitees Neal Shipley and Blades Brown also missed the cut.