Rickie Fowler closes with 4 straight birdies to lead Phoenix Open

Rickie Fowler closed with four straight birdies for a 6-under-par 65 on Friday, taking a one-shot lead over Justin Thomas at the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Fowler’s birdie run started at the par-5 15th and ended with his 8-foot putt on the par-4 18th, putting him at 13-under 129 through two rounds.

Thomas, his roommate for the week, was bogey-free until he pulled his approach on the long par-4 14th and couldn’t get up-and-down. He responded with a two-putt birdie on 15 and closed with three straight pars.

“Getting to play with your buddies, those are the people you want to lose to the least,” said Fowler.