Cold putter sees Scottie Scheffler slip off the pace of Russell Henley at World Wide Technology Championship

Scottie Scheffler endured a torrid day on the greens as he lost ground at the World Wide Technology Championship.

The American is chasing a win or solo second to reclaim the world No. 1 spot from Rory McIroy, and made a fine start on Thursday.

But on Friday, it felt like someone had put a cover over the hole as makeable putt after makeable putt failed to drop at El Camaleon.

Despite the cold putter, he went 31 holes without a bogey but he grew more and more frustrated with his woes on the greens. And on the 14th hole of his second round, Scheffler cracked, as a wild tee shot resulted in a lost ball and a bogey.

He bounced back with a birdie one hole later, after a brilliant tee shot landed eight feet from the hole, but on the 16th another wild tee shot saw a further lost ball and a bogey - and he had to settle for a level-par round of 71 to remain at six-under.

“It looked to me like the ball was dodging the cup,” Scheffler said. “I hit really good putts from holes nine through 13. I hit perfect putts and they were rolling up and I thought they were in and they didn't go in.

“It was just one of those days, and I had those two hazard holes that hurt at the end. I was hitting good putts, and I could not tell you why the ball was dodging the cup.”

Defending champion Viktor Hovland, chasing a hat-trick of wins in the event, was playing alongside Scheffler and he overcame a slow start to card a 69 and get to eight-under.

That left the Norwegian eight shots adrift of leader Russell Henley, who cruised round in 63 for the second day in a row to open up a three-stroke advantage over Sam Ryder and overnight leader Will Gordon.

Collin Morikawa is striving for his best form, and found something like it on Friday as a round of 63 took him to eight-under.

Francesco Molinari has said his only goal for the season is to secure a spot on Europe's Ryder Cup team and he is in the group at eight-under after a round of 70.

Harry Higgs has spoken about being a confidence player, and he could be one to watch at the weekend as a round of 62 on Friday propelled him into contention at 10-under.

Higgs missed 14 of his last 18 cuts, and needed a sponsor’s invitation to get in the field, but made seven birdies and an eagle on Friday.

Brian Harman is not one of the longer hitters in the game, but he is one of the more accurate and a hole-in-one on the fourth was the highlight of a round of 66 as he got to 10-under.

Danny Willett did not make the progress he would have hoped for on Friday. After an impressive 65 in the worst of the conditions on Thursday, he failed to take advantage of his early start on Friday as a round of 71 left him at six-under.

Billy Horschel went round in 67 on Friday to get himself inside the cut mark to sit alongside Jason Day who impressed with a 64 to get to five-under.

Justin Rose is feeling his way back to fitness, but he will only get 36 holes under his belt this week as a round of 72 on Friday saw him miss the cut.

It was a similar result for Matt Wallace, as his round of 74 left him well outside the cut mark.