Following an initial group of three that played together, Max Greyserman moved ahead of everyone Friday at Yokohama Country Club and achieved the top spot at the 2025 Baycurent Classic. After a second round of 63 without a bogey, Greyserman is at 12 under, a four-stroke lead over Xander Schauffele, Alex Noren, and Alex Smalley as he aims for his first PGA Tour victory.
His four-stroke advantage after 36 holes is the largest ever in the tournament. This is the second time in his career he’s had such a lead, the first being at last year’s World Wide Technology Championship. His 36-hole score of 130 is just one stroke more than his personal best on the PGA Tour.
Having already finished as runner-up four times in his previous 53 PGA Tour appearances, Greyserman hopes to be the first golfer since Robert MacIntyre at the Scottish Open to be a runner-up and then win the same tournament the following year. In 2024, Greyserman was narrowly defeated by Nico Echavarria in this event. To accomplish his goal, Greyserman realizes he must maintain his current momentum, as he’s only at the midpoint with numerous skilled players close behind.
“The task isn’t complete until it’s actually done, so I’ll keep pushing, trying to score as many birdies as possible, aiming for the lowest possible score I can,” Greyserman stated. “Of course, I noticed when I finished that I have a three- or four-shot lead, but that’s not really important. I’m going to approach it with the intention of achieving the lowest possible score.”
Among those trying to catch Greyserman is the world’s fourth-ranked player. After a first round of 71, Schauffele improved on Friday as conditions with light clouds and minimal wind presented few challenges for golfers after a difficult Thursday.
“Survival is exactly what it felt like,” Schauffele commented about his first round. “It was tough with the trees near the tees — the ball would veer off course and be affected by strong crosswinds, and any poor shot was severely penalized. Today was much more forgiving, and more precise shots were rewarded, especially with the receptive greens.”
Similar to Greyserman, Schauffele recorded a 63 without any bogeys, making the most of the easier holes. The two-time major champion prioritized a strong start on Friday on the front nine at Yokohama, and he succeeded by sinking four consecutive birdies from holes 3-6 and adding another before the turn to finish with a 31.
“I noticed many players were starting well on that front nine, so I knew I needed to do the same despite the wind,” Schauffele explained. “That’s what I concentrated on. We had two par 5s early, so I tried to score as low as possible through the first five or six holes. It was good to finally have the kind of start I wanted.”
For Schauffele, his 134 total after 36 holes matches his best on the PGA Tour this season. Now, he’s in contention for the first time this year. Recovering from a rib injury early in the season and struggling to find consistency in his 2025 campaign, the composed right-hander hasn’t been in a position to challenge for a title.
That changes this weekend, as Schauffele is near the top of the leaderboard with a clear objective for Sunday evening.
“Feeling confident is really important,” Schauffele said. “Every pro knows there are times when they’re playing well and things are flowing, and they don’t think much about their swing or technique. I’m trying to get back to that feeling for the rest of this year and into the new year.”
The leader
1. Max Greyserman (-12)
Around this time last season, Greyserman began to get experience contending for tournament wins. He had three runner-up finishes in five tournaments, including the Zozo Championship, where he lost to Echavarria by one stroke.
Greyserman has gained more experience in intense competition since then, including a playoff loss to Aldrich Potgieter at the Rocket Classic. This experience should help him in his pursuit of a victory. Through 36 holes, he’s doing everything correctly — making the right decisions at the right times and executing the right shots. If he continues to do so for the next 36 holes, he has a strong chance of finally winning.
“I played well here last year, and I’m playing well again this year. I just enjoy playing here,” Greyserman mentioned. “The courses are good, and the crowds are great, and everyone is very respectful. It’s probably a positive thing that people applaud when I hit it within 20 or 30 feet, because otherwise, I might be frustrated with myself. So, it’s good for my mindset. The fans are really respectful, and I like playing in front of them.”
Contenders
T2. Xander Schauffele, Alex Noren, Alex Smalley (-8)
T5. Si Woo Kim, Sahith Theegala, Brian Campbell, Nico Echavarria (-7)
T9. Garrick Higgo, Rico Hoey, Kazuki Higa (-6)
Before the Ryder Cup, one of the most impressive players wasn’t actually on the team, but rather a leader for Team Europe. Noren secured two victories on the DP World Tour before the event at Bethpage Black, including a playoff win at the BMW PGA Championship, which is the DP World Tour’s premier tournament.
The experienced Swede is performing well again, following Schauffele’s strong performance in Round 2, carding a 65 to keep pace. The 43-year-old admitted he was a bit rusty coming into the week due to some time away from playing, but he has quickly shaken off that rust. He currently leads in driving accuracy, strokes gained tee to green, and is second in both strokes gained off the tee and strokes gained approach after two rounds.
“I think the biggest lesson from those is that you don’t need to hit every shot perfectly, you just need to persevere, stick to your routines, and good play will follow,” Noren said. “If you start focusing too much on your emotions and not sticking to your game plan, it becomes difficult.”
