Jhonattan Vegas leads the PGA Championship after a day full of emotions
Jhonattan Vegas is at the top of the PGA Championship, leading for the first time in a major tournament. The event, held on Friday, was full of drama, although the focus was on the top of the leaderboard.
Scottie Scheffler, despite not being in his best form, remains close, just three strokes behind the leader, which promises an exciting weekend.
Vegas dominated the second half of the course at the challenging Quail Hollow, reaching 10-under par. However, a missed 3-foot putt on the 18th hole and a double bogey marred his day, closing with a par 70 round and a two-stroke lead.
“Every time you have the opportunity to lead a major and play with the advantage is never easy. I feel proud of a solid round today.”
Jhonattan Vegas
Vegas finished with a cumulative score of 8 under par, 134 strokes, surpassing by two Matthieu Pavon of France (65), former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick (68) and Si Woo Kim, who achieved a hole-in-one on the longest par 3 hole of Quail Hollow, marking the longest hole-in-one in the history of major championships.
Xander Schauffele, the defending champion, had a tense afternoon to secure the cut and extend his streak to 64 tournaments, the longest on the PGA Tour since Tiger Woods set the record of 142 tournaments 20 years ago.
Rory McIlroy struggled with his tee shots, with only 10 of 28 fairways hit in two rounds. It was revealed that his driver was deemed non-conforming for play according to USGA regulations. McIlroy had to find a new driver and did not want to speak to the media.
Jordan Spieth, despite a comeback with 68 strokes, failed to make the cut by one stroke.
Phil Mickelson, at 54 years old, showed difficulties, including a quadruple bogey on the 12th hole, although he achieved seven birdies in his round of 72.
Now, the competition focuses on the remaining 36 holes to fight for the Wanamaker Trophy, a challenge that may feel even heavier for players new to the pressure of a major.
Vegas, whose performance has been affected by shoulder injuries in recent years, seeks his first victory in a major. Pavon, who played in the final group of the U.S. Open last year, and Fitzpatrick, winner of the U.S. Open three years ago, are also contenders.
Scheffler, for his part, seeks to improve his performance, feeling more comfortable with his swing in each round. Scheffler finished with 5 under par, 137 strokes, tying with Max Homa.
Ten players are at 4-under par, 138 strokes, including Michael Thorbjornsen, who entered the tournament after Vijay Singh withdrew, and Ryan Fox, who won his first PGA Tour title last week.
Alex Smalley, who entered the tournament on Wednesday, got within one stroke of the lead, but finished with bogeys on the last two holes.
The focus is on Vegas, who has accumulated 13 birdies in two rounds, hoping to lift the trophy.
