PLAY SUSPENDED FOR THE DAY: The storms aren’t going to clear ... or at least not in time for it to be worth warming up and going out again before sundown. So the rest of the second round will be completed tomorrow morning: that’s at 7am in St Louis, 1pm in the UK. We’ll be here for that, bright-eyed and bushy tailed as ever. You know us. As for the third round, that’ll be played in groups of three, with a split-tee start, beginning approximately 30 minutes after the end of the second round. The PGA approximate that the third-round tee times will be between 11.15am and 1.15pm (5.15pm and 7.15pm UK time). So it’ll be a long one ... but a good one. Hope to see you for a bumper Moving Day. Wherever you are: stay safe from the storm. Sweet dreams and nighty night!
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PLAY SUSPENDED: The PGA of America are still monitoring conditions. They’ll update us again at 5.30pm local time; that’s just under 40 minutes from now. While we’re kicking our heels ... compare and contrast.
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The latest from the PGA: Play remains suspended, but there will be another update at 4.45pm local time ... which is 25 minutes away. Fingers crossed.
PLAY SUSPENDED: Thunderstorm heading to Bellerive. Before the weather klaxon sounded, Rickie Fowler managed to make his birdie putt at 10. So as everyone troops back to the safety of the locker room, here’s how the top of the leaderboard looks:
-10: Woodland (F)
-9: Kisner (F)
-8: Koepka (F)
-7: D Johnson (F), Schwartzel (F), Pieters (F), Fowler (10)
-6: Stone (F)
-5: Scott (F), Molinari (F), Cantlay (F), Rahm (F), Kokrak (F), Horschel (10*), Perez (9)
PLAY HAS BEEN SUSPENDED. There’s heavy rain coming to Bellerive, but more importantly, some electrical activity. So the hooter has gone, and the players are heading back to the clubhouse. That’s an awful shame. Hopefully the storm will pass soon enough; more when we have it.
Rickie Fowler reached the turn in 34. He’s just slammed his second at 10 to five feet. Take nothing for granted: he’s missed one that length already today, and spurned a birdie chance from ten feet at 9. But that should take him to -7. Meanwhile the 2016 US Open runner-up is going very well: Shane Lowry has birdied 12, 13 and 17, playing the back nine in 32 strokes. He’s -4.
Tiger takes an iron for safety off the tee at 7 ... then sends his ball into the bunker down the right of the fairway. His second is whistled straight at the flag, but stops short of the green. Nevertheless he very nearly chips in for another birdie. Par will suffice. Meanwhile Yuta Ikeda of Japan is going well. He nearly holes out from the fairway at 18, but makes do with kicking in for his second birdie of the day instead. He’s -4. And some good news of Danny Willett, who has struggled with form an injury since winning the 2016 Masters: birdies at 3, 7 and 8 today, and he’s level par, currently on course to survive the cut.
PAR FOR TONY FINAU!!! He makes his first par of the day at 10, sinking a 20-footer to do so. I thought that was going to turn left at the very last, but it held its line. Happy for him, but that quite special run is over, which is kind of deflating. I wonder if anyone has ever gone 18 holes without a single par? A bizarro Faldo? Even Maurice Flitcroft made par at 14 on his way to shooting 121 at Formby in the 1976 Open qualifiers.
Tiger takes too much sand, and his ball only just squeaks out of the bunker. He’s left with a 25-footer from the fringe to save his par ... and it was one of those that was always going in. The crowd go wild, and that’s a real momentum saver. He stays at -3. Pars for JT and Rory as well, but all the energy is being generated by the senior member of this group. What a putt!
Tiger’s tee shot at the par-three 6th plonks in a bunker to the left of the green. Better left than right; just ask poor old Tony Finau. JT toys with the water but he’s pin high, 20 feet left of the flag. And Rory, not high on confidence, finds the green. But he’s a long, long way away, back right when the flag’s nearer front left. But Rickie Fowler reaches -6 for the first time this week: he birdies the long par-five 8th, and here’s a chance to bung the leaderboard up ... with all-new info!
-10: Woodland (F)
-9: Kisner (F)
-8: Koepka (F)
-7: D Johnson (F), Schwartzel (F), Pieters (F)
-6: Stone (F), Fowler (8)
Tiger makes that birdie! It’s never missing the cup. He really does have his gameface on today. He’s up to -3 already. Par for Justin Thomas: he remains at -2. And it’s a fifth par out of five for Rory, who trudges off, his dreams of a third PGA title drifting further away from his reach, bit by bit. Meanwhile Billy Horschel joins Rickie Fowler and Pat Perez as the best-placed players out on the course right now. They’re all at -5; Horschel’s most recent birdie comes at 17.
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Tiger is cooking. Both literally - the sweat is pouring off him at humid Bellerive - and metaphorically - because he splits the fairway at 5 and sends a short iron to six feet. He’ll have a look at another birdie. Meanwhile more news of Tony Finau. We last left him having birdied holes 1 through 5. That was followed by a triple-bogey six at the par-three 6th, the punishment for dunking his tee shot in the briny. Then birdies at 7 and 8, followed by bogey at 9. He’s turned in 32 strokes, and has yet to par a hole! This is turning out to be quite the round. Can he get all the way round without a par?! I’m going to cry when he makes one, as he inevitably must. Anyway, he’s +1, and missing the cut as things stand.
Lefty finally makes a birdie putt. Typical golf: having seen several well-struck putts slip past, this one bobbles off the fringe at 6 then performs the full 360 before dropping into the cup. But he’s closer to safety at +2, and the crowd rejoice accordingly. His playing partner Jason Day can’t get up and down from sand, though, and he’s another big name going nowhere fast right now: birdies at 3 and 5, but bogeys at 2 and 6 have stymied him.
Meanwhile it’s a fifth par in a row for Rory, who just can’t get going. He’s still level par and beginning to look seriously frustrated. See also: Rickie Fowler, who remains beached at -5: he’s just tickled a birdie tiddler wide right of the cup on 7, a very timid push ensuring the ball was never dropping.
Phil Mickelson, who shot a three-over 73 yesterday, needs something to happen. The cut’s still projected at level par. But nothing’s happening. Pars all the way, birdie chances sliding past the cup. The latest at 5; he’s got the mother of all hangdog expressions right now. There’s a much better vibe surrounding his old sparring partner Tiger Woods, who very nearly chips in from the fringe at 4. He thought that was dropping, and shaped to punch the air, but had to pull back at the last moment. Frustrating, but he’s playing well ... the odd wild drive apart. He really does need to leave that big stick in his locker.
None of the late starters are making much of a run towards the top of the leaderboard. Yet. Rickie Fowler, the best placed, is level par through 6 and remains at -5. Pat Perez we’ve discussed. Rafa Cabrera Bello, who was leading this tournament in its infancy, has birdied 11, 13 and 14 today; but he’s still only -3. In lieu of any big changes, here’s a reminder of the toppermost of the poppermost:
-10: Woodland (F)
-9: Kisner (F)
-8: Koepka (F)
-7: D Johnson (F), Schwartzel (F), Pieters (F)
-6: Stone (F)
-5: Scott (F), Molinari (F), Cantlay (F), Rahm (F), Kokrak (F), Fowler (6), Perez (5)
Justin Thomas is furthest from the pin at 3. His 12-footer is never dropping. Rory is six feet away, but lets his birdie putt slide on the right. Tiger, though, makes no mistake from four feet, and that’s back-to-back birdies. He’s -2, and on the charge. And here’s an interesting jaw-dropping stat, courtesy of US broadcaster TNT: it’s the players who are most under par in the majors since 1997, before today. The minimum requirement is seven rounds.
-86: Woods
-27: Spieth
-11: Day
-5: McIlroy
-3: Koepka
Birdies for Tiger and JT on 2. They move to -1 and -2 respectively. No such luck for Rory, who is stuck on level par. All three pepper the flag at the par-three 3rd, though. Tiger’s gone particularly close, sending the galleries into raptures. Meanwhile Billy Horschel is going well: the 2014 FedEx Cup winner his birdied 11, 12 and 14 to move to -4 for the tournament.
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Ben Kern, of Tuscon, Arizona, works in golf-club management. Unlike many of the club pros competing here this week, he’s never played on the Web.com tour, never mind the PGA Tour. But he qualified for this event after finishing in the top ten of the PGA Professional Championship. And as things stand, he’s the only PGA member who’ll be making it through to the weekend. He needed a birdie on the last to give himself a chance, and seized the day by firing his approach ten feet from the flag and rattling the putt straight into the cup. A 69 to go with the 71 he shot yesterday, and he’s level par, currently just inside the cut line and hoping the scoring isn’t too crazy this afternoon.
Pat Perez finished in a tie for sixth at the 2005 PGA. But since then, not much. Until the last couple of years, as the freewheeling, hot-tempered Arizonian bloomed late. A top-20 finish at last year’s Masters, then a tie for 17th at this year’s Open represents consistency of sorts. He shot 67 yesterday, and has opened up with birdies at 1 and 3 today. He’s -5.
Rory needs it to be one of those days. But it could be one of those days. He finds the fringe at 1, and curls a fine right-to-left putt towards the cup. But it shaves the right side. No idea how that didn’t drop. A dimple away. He looks sick. Workaday pars meanwhile for Tiger and JT. Nobody gets the fast start they desired.
Belated news of Tommy Fleetwood. The Southport superstar and US Open runner-up was in real danger of missing the cut, having at one point slipped to +2. But birdies at 2, 8 and 9 dragged him above the waterline at the very last minute. He’s -1 going into the weekend, having posted 69-70.
Tony Finau’s start yesterday was nothing short of abysmal. He was +5 through his first eight holes, and ended up with a 74. But he’s nothing short of sensational today! He’s torn out of the blocks in simply preposterous fashion! Five holes played, five birdies! All of a sudden, he’s -1 for the tournament. The quiet giant from Utah has finished in the top ten at the first three majors this year. A clean sweep seemed totally out of the question yesterday lunchtime. It’s not so fanciful now. What a start!
Here comes the afternoon marquee group! The reigning champion Justin Thomas shot 69 yesterday; his opening tee shot finds a bunker down the left of 1. Rory McIlroy’s up next: the 2012 and 2014 winner’s drive rolls off the right of the fairway and into the first cut. And finally Tiger Woods, the PGA winner in 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007. He finds the fairway. Rory and Tiger start the day at level par after 70s yesterday. All three need to get a wriggle on, if they’re to seriously feature at the weekend; go backwards and the cut looms.
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Rickie Fowler was a shot off the lead when the cockerel crowed this morning. By the time he teed it up, Gary Woodland had shot 66 and Fowler was five behind. And that’s where he still is after three holes: an opening bogey has been cancelled out by a 20-foot left-to-right curler for birdie at 3. He’s -5. Meanwhile birdies for Austin Cook at 11 and 14: he’s -5. The 27-year-old from Arkansas is enjoying a decent maiden season in the majors: a top-30 finish at Carnoustie and now this fine showing.
Jason Kokrak only made it into the field when Lee Westwood dropped out. He’s grabbed his opportunity with both hands: a 68 yesterday followed by a 67 today. He’s handily placed at -5. The 33-year-old Canadian hasn’t much of a record in the majors - his best finish was a tie for 33rd in this tournament last year at Quail Hollow - so this is a fine opportunity to right that wrong.
As things stand right now ... and with the afternoon starters expected to enjoy conditions as much as the morning wave ... a few big names will be going home. The cut’s currently sending everyone over par to the airport, and is unlikely to move out. Certainly off: the current Masters champion Patrick Reed (+3 after 36 holes), the 1991 PGA winner John Daly (+3), the 2013 champ Jason Dufner (+4), the two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson (+8) and Paul Casey (+8). In the clubhouse hoping the cut somehow moves out a shot: Matt Kuchar and Sergio Garcia, both at +1. If Sergio’s fate is sealed, he’ll have missed the cut in all four majors this year, an abysmal state of affairs. Oh Sergio!
Thomas Pieters has been flawless today. Starting at 10, he parred every hole on the back nine, before turning loose thereafter: birdies at 1, 4, 7 and 8 have led to a 66 that sits alongside his opening-day 67 very prettily. He’s in that group at -7, well placed for Moving Day.
Schwartzel sends his second to 15 feet ... then watches a 62 slip through his fingers as his putt only just fails to drop. Still, a 63’s not a bad consolation prize. That’s the 35th time a 63 has been posted in a major, and the third time this year. Before Schwartzel and Koepka today? Tommy Fleetwood on the final day at Shinnecock Hills. The 2011 Masters champ ends the second round at -7.
-10: Woodland (F)
-9: Kisner (F)
-8: Koepka (F)
-7: D Johnson (F), Schwartzel (F), Pieters (17*)
-6: Stone (F)
Charl Schwartzel is currently coming up the 9th, his final hole today. If he makes par, he’ll become the 16th man to shoot 63 at a PGA. If he birdies, he’ll break the tournament record and become only the second man in history to card 62 in a major, after Branden Grace at Birkdale last year. He’s sent his drive 300 yards down the fairway; up and down from 150 yards or so, and he’s making some history here.
Thanks to Michael! A word, then, on Brooks Koepka’s 63. That equals the best round at a PGA. It’s been posted on 14 previous occasions: Bruce Crampton (Firestone 1975), Ray Floyd (Southern Hills 1982), Gary Player (Shoal Creek 1984), Vijay Singh (Inverness 1993), Michael Bradley (Riviera 1995), Brad Faxon (Riviera 1995), Jose Maria Olazabal (Valhalla 2000), Mark O’Meara (Atlanta 2001), Thomas Bjorn (Baltusrol 2005), Tiger Woods (Southern Hills 2007), Steve Stricker (Atlanta 2011), Jason Dufner (Oak Hill 2013), Hiroshi Iwata (Whistling Straits 2015) and Robert Streb (Baltusrol 2016).
Koepka may or may not be interested to know that only Floyd (1982), Tiger (2007) and Dufner (2013) went on to win.
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So the marquee group of Spieth, Rahm and Rose tee off on their final hole of their second round at the 9th. Rahm finds the left bunker 146 yards out, Spieth and Rose 20 yards further back but safely on the fairway – the Englishman is about 168 yards out but needs another 10 for the uphill … it’s a poor shot, off the back of the green and he’ll have a tough up and down to save par. Hands on hips, Rose is seething. He composes himself though and tickles a low chip down the hill for a makeable par putt. He makes it, and finishes -4.
Spieth makes lighter work of his second shot and is on the dancefloor. Rahm has a tricky shot from the bunker around the corner – and lands it just inside Spieth’s ball! It’s a shootout then, Spieth can only manage par and signs for a 66, on -3. Rahm has got a read then but he never really hit it, and will stay at -5, five shots off the lead.
Rory McIlroy, meanwhile is loosening up on the practice range. He’s teeing off in just under an hour 1.48pm local time/7.48pm BST, alongside Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas.
I’ll hand back to Scott now, who is back from his break. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon/evening!
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Koepka and DJ finish their respective rounds, signing for 63 (!!!) and 66 respectively, two and three shots of the lead at present. The two are very good friends, they are right in it here.
Ooooo, penalty shot for Rahm on the 8th. His drive found the long grass on the left edge of the fairway. There was no official to mark his ball and in trying to find it, he inadvertently stepped on it. The Spaniard calls across a marshall, explained that he didn’t actually move the ball but admitted that he did definitely touch it with his foot. Rahm is slightly aggrieved that there was nobody to mark it, but accepts the one-shot penalty after taking a drop. He hacks it out the rough, stiffs a beautiful iron from 58 yards to within eight feet and will have that for par. Three fist pumps later, the par is in the bag, and he bounds of the 8th green with a spring in his step. Excellent save with the penalty.
Spieth meanwhile, splashes out of the bunker and will have a birdie attempt, while Rose is going for eagle from 32ft. Ooooo, it just comes up short and a wry smile breaks across the Englishman’s face, his arms raised high to the heavens in disbelief. He taps in for birdie – back at -4 – but should have given that one a chance. Spieth makes his birdie – he’s -3.
Kisner is playing one of the rounds of his life, hitting 84.6% of fairways and 82.3% of greens. No surprise to see him leading now, but a sloppy third shot on the 8th means he’s scrambling to make par. Woodland has a chance to tie things up then, and he makes his birdie! We’re all square at the top, then!
-10: Woodland (17*), Kisner (17*)
-8: Koepka (63)
-7: D Johnson (66), Schwartzel (16*)
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Koepka keeps pace and is now outright third behind Kisner and Woodland after birdieing the long par-five 8th, sinking a five-footer. He’s reached the green in two on his final hole, so could well end up -9 in the clubhouse.
Speaking of NBA stars, Steph Curry shot a 1-over 71 on Thursday in the first round of the Web.com Tour’s Ellie Mae Classic. 71. Let that sink in for a minute.
No question. 71 from Steph today is awesome, but not surprising. Guy has serious game! @andre may wanna start asking for more strokes... https://t.co/nxNLyTAA03
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) August 9, 2018
The guy is a ridiculous human.
Are you kidding me?! @StephenCurry30 is knocking down pins at the @EllieMaeClassic. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4NQEHqSHg2
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) August 9, 2018
Spieth plays to the middle of the 7th fairway off the tee, but puts way too much backspin on his approach and it rolls back off the front of the green. Rose, in the bunker again, duffs one out about 50 yards. He’s livid! Rahm is the only one of our marquee group that hits a decent brilliant shot, he lands his approach to within three feet. Tweet tweet, birdie time. He’s got it and the Spaniard is down to -5. He’s bogey free today, and looking in tip-top nick. Spieth makes his par, but Rose slips back to -3 with a bogey. That’s the score he started the day on.
Kisner is one hole ahead of this group, and a birdie on the 7th from 11ft has given him the outright lead. He’s -10 now, with Woodland only able to par the same hole.
Andre Iguodala, NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, is making a guest appearance in the commentary box. He favours the three wood off the tee, just like Tiger. The two are good friends. Find a pal that looks at you the same way Tiger looks at Andre. Those kicks, too! Woof.
Perfect day... @PGATOUR pic.twitter.com/e80NODJetJ
— Andre Iguodala (@andre) January 28, 2018
Thanks Scott. Spieth is scrambling alright, and he’s got another birdie chance at the par-three 6th. It’s a long-one down the hill, he pushes it left and makes his par, as does Rahm. Rose splashes into the bunker on the left but gets up and down for his par to stay at -5. Tidy.
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Jordan Spieth thinks his second into 5 has been held up by the wind, and complains loudly to his caddie accordingly. But he’s wrong: the ball lands six feet from the cup! In goes the birdie putt, and he’s -2, that career-slam dream not over this year yet! Meanwhile it’s just a birdie for DJ on 8, but he’ll take it, because that gives him a share of second with Brooks Koepka at -7.
And with that, I’m off to eat a bowl of Hamburger Helper, the only MSG-flavored foodstuff to be marketed by a talking golf glove. We’ll meet again soon, but for now I give way to your friend and mine Michael Butler!
Bogey for Emiliano Grillo at 16. As he slips to -4, Francesco Molinari passes him the other way with birdie on 7. The Open champ returns to -5. Meanwhile an eagle chance for Dustin Johnson on the monster par-five 8th: after a 340-yard drive, he’s crashed his second from 257 yards to 18 feet. This could potentially cause a bit of fuss near the top of the leader board.
Brandon Stone, out first thing this morning, is back in the clubhouse. The Scottish Open champion has signed for a two-under 68, which pairs very nicely with yesterday’s 66. He’s -6, in a rich vein of form right now, and will very much be looking forward to the weekend, with plenty of time to rest until he goes out tomorrow. He’ll be teeing it up reasonably late you’d think.
It took all that time for Justin Rose to finally make it to -5; it’s taken one hole for him to slip back. His tee shot found sand down the left of the long par-four 4th; his second was swallowed up by another bunker, guarding the green front left. He can’t get up and down, and he’s back to -4. Still only five shots back, of course.
Gary Woodland slips back into a share with Kevin Kisner. His drive down 4 finds the rough on the right, and though he manages to make the green, he’s a long way from the flag. Three putts were almost inevitable. Bogey, and he’s -9 again. Emiliano Grillo makes another birdie, this time at 14, and he joins the ever-expanding group at -5. Francesco Molinari drops back, though; bogey at 5 sends him down to -4. Zach Johnson birdies 3; namesake Dustin birdies 7, his fourth in five holes. And it’s three birdies in a row for Charl Schwartzel: that’s five in six! This is quite the leaderboard. Goodness knows what awaits us when the afternoon wave come out.
-9: Woodland (13*), Kisner (13*)
-7: Koepka (14*)
-6: Stone (17*), D Johnson (16*), Z Johnson (12*), Schwartzel (12)
-5: Scott (15*), Grillo (14), Rose (12*), Fowler
There’s some absurd scoring going on right now. Ted Potter Jr. has just holed out from the fairway at 14 for eagle: that follows birdies at 3, 11 and 12. After a 74 yesterday, the 34-year-old Floridian - who has only made the cut once in seven attempts in the majors, at the 2012 Open - rises to -1. Meanwhile another birdie for Justin Rose, this time at the short par-three 3rd, taking an aggressive line at a flag near the water on the right, and reaping the reward for a perfectly executed shot. He’s -5. His playing partner Jon Rahm gets to -4 after landing his tee shot pin high, ten feet from the flag. And Adam Scott birdies 6: he’s -5 for both round and tournament.
Dustin Johnson has just pressed on the accelerator! Birdies at 3, 4 and 5, and suddenly the world number-one is right back in the mix. His namesake Zach birdies 1 to return to -5 as well. And back-to-back birdies for Charl Schwartzel at 10 and 11 - that’s four in five holes - has the former Masters champ enter the fray too. This is turning into quite a championship already, with a couple of solid Tour players up top, hoping to make their breakthrough, hunted down by quite a few major winners!
-10: Woodland (12*)
-9: Kisner (12*)
-7: Koepka (13*)
-6: Stone (16*)
-5: D Johnson (14*), Molinari (13*), Schwartzel (11), Z Johnson (10*), Fowler
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Gary Woodland completes his overtaking manoeuvre on Kevin Kisner. He sends his tee shot at the par-three 3rd to four feet, and strokes the birdie putt into the cup. There’s some low scoring out there today, further evidenced by Andrew Landry: this year’s Texas Open champion has just made four birdies in a row between 13 and 16; throw in another at 11 and he’s risen to -2 for the championship after a 73 yesterday. Meanwhile birdie for Justin Rose at 2, and he’s back to -4. He’s been unable to get any lower this week: a short par three coming up!
That lead is held jointly by Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner, the former making birdie at 2 to grab a share. A wee bit back down the leader board, Emiliano Grillo is quietly making a move. The 25-year-old Argentinian has long been tipped for big things, but his record in the majors lately has been little short of appalling: he hasn’t made a single cut since the 2017 Masters. But he’s just birdied 7, 8, 11 and 13, and unless he’s got a very special meltdown heading his way, he’ll be here for the weekend. He’s -4.
-9: Woodland (11*), Kisner (11*)
-7: Koepka (12*)
-6: Stone (16*)
-5: Molinari (12*), Fowler
-4: Grillo (13), D Johnson (13*), Scott (13*), Schwartzel (10), Cantlay (10), Z Johnson (9*), Kokrak (8*), Niemann (8*)
The double US Open champion Brooks Koepka makes it three birdies in a row: 1, 2, 3. That’s six in the last nine holes, and this 28-year-old Floridian is going to rack up a fair few majors if he can avoid injury. He’s got the necessary length, his short game is tight, he battles, and rarely seems flustered. Koepka, Spieth, DJ, JT, Fowler, Reed ... Europe have got a job on their hands at this upcoming Ryder Cup, haven’t they. Anyway, Koepka is -7 now, two off the lead.
Russell Henley is fighting hardest to avoid missing the cut. A miserable 74 yesterday, but birdies at 5, 7, 9 and now 14 have catapulted him up the standings to level par. Tommy Fleetwood might yet save himself too: a birdie at 2 brings him back to +1, just above the current projected cut line, whatever illustrative purpose that might serve. But big Chris Wood is going the wrong way, and quickly: bogey at 1, followed by a double at 4, and he’s slipped to +4. A disappointing showing after a decent Open Championship.
Kevin Kisner birdies 18! He’s played the back-nine holes in 29 strokes, and hits the turn leading the 100th PGA Championship! Up ahead, Brooks Koepka and Francesco Molinari both birdie 1. And back down 18, Rose overshoots the green with his approach, and can only flop back up the hill onto the fringe. His attempt to save par bobbles, and that’s a bogey that drops him to -3. He looks highly irritated, having changed his mind about which club to use from the fairway; that’s cost him. Spieth however wedges to 15 feet; he’ll have a look at birdie. But he can’t make it, his putt drifting off to the left. He remains at -1, eight off the lead.
-9: Kisner (9*)
-8: Woodland (9*)
-6: Stone (14*)
-5: Koepka (10*), Molinari (10*), Fowler
Bubba Watson is seriously struggling as well. He played the back-nine holes in 38 today, turning after a double at 18. Throw in another bogey at 2, and he’s +4 for his round and the championship. The 2010 runner-up looks like he’s off home early. The 2013 winner Jason Dufner is in bother too: he’s currently +3 and needs something along the closing stretch. The Masters champion Patrick Reed is certainly fighting for his weekend participation: birdie at 1 has bumped him up to +2, and at least he’s heading in the right direction.
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Tommy Fleetwood’s hope of a maiden major this season is beginning to look like a pipe dream. A double-bogey at 18 - the result of driving into thick rough, then taking three putts - has been followed by another dropped shot at 1. He’s +2 for the tournament, and as things stand, missing the cut by one stroke. A long way to go before we know too much more about that, of course. Meanwhile Dustin is going backwards again: bogey at 2, and he’s -2. His brief co-leadership of this tournament yesterday suddenly feels a long time ago.
Bogey for Francesco Molinari at 18; he’s turning in 33, and back to -4. Back-to-back birdies for Patrick Cantlay, at 7 and 8; he’s -4 too. Birdies at 7 and 8 bring Charl Schwartzel up to -3. And smiles all round on the 18th tee, as Justin Rose mishits, but somehow sends his ball down the centre of the fairway anyway. “That’s a pretty miss, isn’t it?” Rose quips, after dropping his club mid-swing, to much laughter from the gallery. Now, can he take advantage of that stroke of luck?
The 17th continues to stage some top action. First up, Spieth lands his approach six feet past the flag and nearly spins it back into the cup. Instead it goes six feet past. But in goes the saver. He’s 23 from 25 inside ten feet, and remains -1. Rahm meanwhile leaves a chip well short, but rattles in the 25-footer he’d left himself. Finally a birdie to break the run of pars! He’s -3. And Rose’s second takes a hot bounce through the green and nearly rolls into the hazard at the back. But it stops, and he gets up and down for a birdie that brings him back to -4.
This may explain the momentary rage that descended upon the normally calm Jordan Spieth: in the group ahead, Gary Woodland made eagle at 17! He creamed his second from 260 yards to five feet, and tidied up for his reward. His playing partner Kevin Kisner made birdie. So that’s created a bit of separation at the top. Brandon Stone is trying to keep on the leaders’ tail with birdie at 4.
-8: Woodland (8*), Kisner (8*)
-6: Stone (13*)
-5: Molinari (8*), Fowler
-4: Scott (10*), Koepka (9*), Cantlay (8), Z Johnson (7*), Niemann (5*)
A rare display of Spiethian funk! His drive went into the hazard, but not quite into the water. It’s snagged in a thick bush. So he goes to great effort to pick it out ... then spins through 180 degrees and pitches it baseball style into the drink! It’s wet now. Once the red mist disperses, he drops and hits three down the fairway. He’ll need to get up and down from distance with his wedge. That’s something he couldn’t manage yesterday.
Just like yesterday, Spieth sends his drive at 17 into the creek running down the right of the fairway. That’s a clumsy error after making birdie at the previous hole. Up ahead, Brooks Koepka makes his third birdie of the day. He’s right in the mix now at -4. Dustin Johnson birdies 18, cancelling out the bogey he made at 15. He’s still -3. And belated news of Tyrrell Hatton, who birdied 7 and turned in 32 strokes; he’s -2.
Jordan Spieth finally gets into red numbers! He fizzes an iron straight at the flag at the long par-three 16th, and rolls in the straight 15-footer he’d left himself. That’s only the second birdie of the day on this hole: the first was made by Brandon Stone, who had hit an almost identical tee shot. Spieth is -1, and for the first time this week will be thinking about launching a challenge for that career-slam-completing major. Jon Rahm very nearly curls in a 30-footer for his birdie, but yet another par will have to do. He is beginning to look frustrated, having hit a few decent putts without enjoying any luck. Meanwhile another birdie for the Chilean prodigy Joaquin Miemann, this time at 13. He’s -4.
Rahm nearly holes out from the bunker at the front of the green; par will do after that drive, though. Yet another par. He’s -2. Rose is in cabbage to the right of the green; he chunks his chip and is left with a 15-footer for par. Nope. He’s back to -3. And Spieth rolls his putt straight at the flag ... but doesn’t give it enough juice. He draws his putter back, high into the air, miming to whack the ball off the green in frustration. He earns a laugh from the gallery, then taps in for his par. He stays at level par. Meanwhile Kevin Kisner, in the group before, had birdied the hole ... and hit the front on his own as a result. Birdie for Zach Johnson at 14. And another for Adam Scott on 18; he turns in 31, and with that long putter hot for once, is now a serious contender.
-7: Kisner (7*)
-6: Woodland (6*)
-5: Stone (11*), Molinari (7*), Z Johnson (5*), Fowler
-4: Scott (9*)
Turns out Spieth doesn’t have to craft the ball right to left as much as Tiger did yesterday. He’s got an opening in front of him, and a fairly straight line to the green from 220 yards. That’s a stroke of luck, and he’s a past master at (a) taking advantage of good breaks, and (b) getting himself out of trouble with his outrageous talent. He lashes a long iron straight into the heart of the green, and leaves his ball pin high, 12 feet from the flag! That is so sweet. Spieth’s wholesome apple-pie image sometimes obscures the fact that this is how Seve used to carry on: driving like a lunatic yet somehow manufacturing escape after escape. He’s so entertaining to follow. Rahm meanwhile can only flash out into greenside sand, while Rose misses the green from the centre of the fairway. So Spieth, whose drive was by some distance the worst, is the only one in the group with a chance of birdie. That’s golf!
Spieth and Rahm spray wild drives down the left of 15. Trouble there: that’s where Tiger tried yesterday to recreate Bubba Watson’s outrageous Masters-winning hook from the trees ... and failed. Elsewhere, Matt Wallace birdies 18 to hit the turn in 31 strokes; he’s zipped up the standings to -3. Adam Scott has added to those early birdies at 11 and 13 with another at 17: he’s -3. The 19-year-old superstar-in-making Joaquin Niemann follows yesterday’s fine 68 with birdie at 11: he’s -3. And beware Brooks Koepka, lurking, waiting to pounce from the pack. He’s birdied 13 and 15 to move to -3. At this rate there’ll be more top-of-the-leaderboard action soon, I’ll be bound.
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Jordan Spieth pulls at a straight uphill 15-foot birdie putt on 14. He lets his head drop as a chance to get into red figures for the first time in this championship is spurned. Jon Rahm faces a similar putt, with maybe a little right-to-left movement. He leaves it high on the right and it’s been all pars today for the 23-year-old Spaniard. But Justin Rose teases in a right-to-left birdie curler from nine-and-a-half feet. That’s 18 out of 19 from inside ten feet this week, a fairly big reason why he’s now -4, just a couple off the lead! Meanwhile Brandon Stone makes his second bogey of the week, at 1, and suddenly the top of the leaderboard looks a little different:
-6: Woodland (5*), Kisner (5*)
-5: Stone (10*), Molinari (6*), Fowler
-4: Rose (5*), Z Johnson (4*)
Gary Woodland makes his first bogey of the championship since the opening hole yesterday. A three-putt bogey at 14 drops him back into a share of the lead at -6 with Brandon Stone and Kevin Kisner.
The new Open champion keeps on keepin’ on! Francesco Molinari birdies 14 to rise to -5, a shot off Gary Woodland’s lead. Meanwhile the morning marquee group of Spieth, Rahm and Rose are steadily making their way along the back nine; Spieth’s birdie at 11 apart, it’s been an uneventful string of pars.
Another birdie for Kevin Kisner. This one comes at 13, his third in four holes. He’s -6, tied for second with Brandon Stone, a shot behind Gary Woodland. Kisner is a fine example of the thin line between bridesmaid and bride at top-level professional sport. In a parallel universe somewhere, he’s won the play-off at the 2015 Players, beaten Bubba Watson in the final of this year’s WGC Match Play, and held onto his 54-hole leads at last year’s PGA and this year’s Open. That’d be a serious haul. It wouldn’t take much more. But as it is, after a series of near misses, the resilient but luckless 34-year-old South Carolinian has to make do with wins at the 2015 RSM Classic and the 2017 Dean & DeLuca Invitational. Yes, it’s a thin line all right. If he finally lands a big one this week, you can’t say he hasn’t been knocking on the door.
-7: Woodland (4*)
-6: Stone (9*), Kisner (4*)
-5: Fowler
-4: Molinari (4*), Z Johnson (2*)
Everyone’s favourite golfing hothead, Tyrrell Hatton, is all smiles this morning. Birdies at 1 and 3, and the entertaining heart-on-sleeve Englishman, who tied for 10th in the 2016 PGA at Baltusrol, rises to -1. Hatton’s also got a top-five finish at the Open on his CV, when everyone was playing in a different tournament to Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson at Troon in 2016, and a sixth-place at this year’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills. It’s only a matter of time before he gets seriously involved at the business end of a major. There’ll be some fine drama when he does.
Zach Johnson is out, and he’s immediately bogeyed 10, the result of sending his drive into the thick stuff down the left. He slips to -3. We’ve not been going long, but already this leaderboard has a radically different look to it.
-7: Woodland (3*)
-6: Stone (8*)
-5: Kisner (3*), Fowler
-4: Molinari (4*)
-3: D Johnson (5*), Leishman (4*), Rose (2*), Z Johnson (1*), Pieters (1*), Cook, Poulter, Perez, Day, Gat, Cink, Schniederjans
Brandon Stone waited seven holes for his first birdie today. So of course he makes another at the following one. He picks up a stroke at the long par-five 17th: he’s a shot off the lead! Meanwhile the first eagle of the week has been made by Satoshi Kodaira. A two at the driveable par-four 11th. There were no eagles yesterday, the first time a day’s gone by at the PGA without one since 1983. Kodaira, having finally made one, naturally bogeyed the holes before and after. But that, ladies and gentlemen, is golf.
Plenty of positive scoring this morning. Beautiful conditions and a receptive course. The 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel birdies 1 and 2 to move to -2. The 2013 Masters winner Adam Scott birdies 11 and 13 to rise to -2. Another birdie for 2012 Players champion Matt Kuchar, this time at 14. He’s -2 as well. And on 11, the 2015 Masters champ Jordan Spieth wedges to six feet and makes his birdie to move back to level par. He’s now made 18 of his 20 putts this week from inside ten feet.
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Another birdie for Francesco Molinari! This time at 12. The Open champ moves alongside Zach Johnson in a tie for fifth at -4. Meanwhile Marc Leishman, who has come close in a couple of Masters and three Opens, looks to make a mark on the PGA: birdie at 13 and he’s in the group at -3.
But it’s all happening at the very top! Kevin Kisner, who came so close at Quail Hollow last year, and went even closer at this year’s Open, opens with birdies at 10 and 11. Brandon Stone breaks his run of pars with birdie at 16. And the overnight leader Gary Woodland is out, and he’s birdied 11 as well. All of which means ...
-7: Woodland (2*)
-5: Stone (7*), Kisner (2*), Fowler
-4: Z Johnson
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Our featured group this morning stars Jon Rahm (-2), Justin Rose (-3) and career-slam-chasing Jordan Spieth (+1). It’s a horror start for Rahm, in the blood-curdling movie sense: he flays his opening drive miles into the trees down the right. His ball ends up on the fairway. But how? By clanking off some poor punter’s head, that’s how! The poor chap is splayed out on the ground, having a towel pressed to his bleeding head, by the time Rahm arrives on the scene. Looking extremely embarrassed and very apologetic, Rahm signs a glove, and crouches awhile to offer the man some support. “I hope you have a good round!” smiles the man, which is awfully nice of him. It’s a sweet scene, and one which earns Rahm some warm applause. Rahm seems a little shaken by events, and leaves his approach well short, then chips to 15 feet. He finally gathers himself by knocking in the par saver to stay at -3. Rose pars without fuss, while Spieth gets up and down from a bunker to save his par too. Stuff happening everywhere except on the scoreboards.
Brandon Stone is now level par for his round through 14, his first five holes. He remains at -4, a couple off Gary Woodland’s first-round lead. Matt Kuchar birdies 11 and 12 to undo the damage he did coming home with those bogeys at 15 and 17 last night. But it’s a fast start by Matt Wallace of west London (but schooled in Alabama). The 28-year-old Englishman is making his PGA Championship debut this week, but he’s won twice this season on the European Tour already, in India and Germany. He’s birdied 11, 13 and 14 to move to -2.
Only five players have ever done the Open-PGA double in the same year. Sir Walter was the first: Hagen did it in 1924. Seventy years later, Nick Price matched the feat. Padraig Harrington won them back-to-back in 2008. Rory McIlroy achieved it as well in 2014. And of course Tiger’s done it twice, in 2000 and 2006. What price Francesco Molinari joining that elite group? He was slow out of the blocks yesterday, +3 through the first six holes, a right old Claret Jug hangover. But five birdies after that gave him a fine opening round of 68. And he’s opened today with birdie at 10. Don’t rule the in-form 35-year-old out: he’s -3. Italy waited a long time for its first major championship; do the buses in Turin behave like the ones in London?
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It’s going to be another warm day at Bellerive. Sunny, some clouds, with temperatures over 90 degrees come the afternoon. Not much in the way of wind. But there are worries that some thunder and lightning may arrive mid-to-late afternoon. Fingers crossed that’s not the case. The good news is that the weekend is set fair: slightly lower temperatures, but plenty of sun, and no storms a-comin’.
Kyle Stanley was sniffing around the leaders midway through his round yesterday. The 30-year-old from Washington state made it up to -3 at one point, but dropped a stroke on his way home. He’s continued that slide today: bogeys at 1 and 2 have sent him clattering down the standings, back to level par.
Here we go then, my old Building and Loan golf pals. It’s the second round of the final major of the year. Are you already getting that bittersweet yearning as you contemplate all those months before the Masters comes round again, even though we’ve still got another three days of hot PGA action ahead of us? Yes, us too. It’s like the last week of the World Cup all over again. Anyway, some early news: there is no early news to speak of. Brandon Stone, Mr 60, is out and about, having teed off in the very first group starting at 10 this morning. He’s level par through his first four holes, and at -4 remains two shots off Gary Woodland’s lead. Dustin Johnson’s up with the lark too: he’s parred 10 and stays at -3.
Preambles are so Thursday. Let’s get straight down to business instead. Here’s the top of the leader board ...
-6: Woodland
-5: Fowler
-4: Stone, Z Johnson
-3: Cook, Poulter, Perez, Day, Gay, Cink, Schniederjans, D Johnson, Kisner, Rose, Pieters
-2: Fox, Horschel, Matsuyama, Ikeda, Simpson, Grace, Fisher, Korhonen, Stanley, Leishman, Molinari, Cantlay, Rahm, Kokrak, Niemann, Kirk, Putnam
Assorted others: Thomas (-1), Fleetwood (-1), Koepka (-1), McIlroy (E), Woods (E), Watson (E), Garcia (E), Spieth (+1), Reed (+2), Mickelson (+3)
... and here are today’s tee times, starting at the 1st. All players are from the US unless stated, and the times are local. (We’re six hours ahead in the UK; you do the math.)
0650 Chesson Hadley, Daniel Balin, Russell Henley
0701 Marty Jertson, Luke List, Kevin Chappell
0712 Jaysen Hansen, Nick Watney, Kyle Stanley
0723 Emiliano Grillo (Arg), Ted Potter, Jr., Jorge Campillo (Spa)
0734 Ryan Vermeer, Paul Broadhurst (Eng), John Daly
0745 Brice Garnett, Si Woo Kim (Kor), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
0756 Jason Dufner, Yong-eun Yang (Kor), Shaun Micheel
0807 Thorbjorn Olesen (Den), Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Patrick Cantlay
0818 Adrian Otaegui (Spa), Brendan Steele, Kevin Na
0829 Chez Reavie, Charley Hoffman, Russell Knox (Sco)
0840 Zachary J Johnson, Michael Kim, Seung-su Han
0851 Brian Smock, Anirban Lahiri (Ind), Mike Lorenzo-Vera (Fra)
0902 Ben Kern, Ryuko Tokimatsu (Jpn), Chris Kirk
1220 Jamie Lovemark, Shugo Imahira (Jpn), Rich Berberian Jr.
1231 Sean McCarty, Brandt Snedeker, Haotong Li (Chn)
1242 Jim Furyk, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele
1253 Davis Love III, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Rich Beem
1304 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Rickie Fowler, Ian Poulter (Eng)
1315 Henrik Stenson (Swe), Danny Willett (Eng), Pat Perez
1326 Jason Day (Aus), Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley
1337 Jordan Smith (Eng), Shubhankar Sharma (Ind), Scott Piercy
1348 Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Tiger Woods
1359 Webb Simpson, Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Jhonattan Vegas (Ven)
1410 Stewart Cink, Branden Grace (Rsa), Ryan Moore
1421 Ross Fisher (Eng), Alexander Levy (Fra), Patton Kizzire
1432 Julian Suri, Sungjae Imn (Kor), Craig Bowden
... and starting at the 10th ...
0655 Brandon Stone (Rsa), Johan Kok (Rsa), Whee Kim (Kor)
0706 Matt Wallace (Eng), Matt Dobyns, Beau Hossler
0717 Alex Noren (Swe), Chris Wood (Eng), Matt Kuchar
0728 Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Adam Scott (Aus)
0739 Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Satoshi Kodaira (Jpn), Marc Leishman (Aus)
0750 Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka, Francesco Molinari (Ita)
0801 Gary Woodland, Kevin Kisner, Sergio Garcia (Spa)
0812 Jon Rahm (Spa), Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose (Eng)
0823 Aaron Wise, Paul Casey (Eng), Zach Johnson
0834 Thomas Pieters (Bel), Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Bill Haas
0845 Jason Kokrak, Joaquin Niemann (Chi), Daniel Berger
0856 Omar Uresti, Andrew Landry, Justin Harding (Rsa)
0907 Matthew Borchert, Chris Stroud, Andrew Putnam
1215 Michael Block, Eddie Pepperell (Eng), Ryan Fox (Nzl)
1226 Craig Hocknull (Aus), Austin Cook, Alexander Bjork (Swe)
1237 Yusaku Miyazato (Jpn), Bob Sowards, Scott Brown
1248 Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Kevin Streelman, James Hahn
1259 Byeong-Hun An (Kor), Billy Horschel, Shane Lowry (Irl)
1310 Brian Harman, Yuta Ikeda (Jpn), Adam Hadwin (Can)
1321 Jimmy Walker, Padraig Harrington (Irl), Vijay Singh (Fij)
1332 Andy Sullivan (Eng), Bryson DeChambeau, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha)
1343 Ryan Armour, Cameron Smith (Aus), Peter Uihlein
1354 J.B. Holmes, Paul Dunne (Irl), Dylan Frittelli (Rsa)
1405 Charles Howell III, Jason Schmuhl, Brian Gay
1416 David Muttitt, Ollie Schniederjans, Troy Merritt
1427 Shawn Warren, Mikko Korhonen (Fin), J.J. Spaun
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