Golf-Vegas doubles down, hold clubhouse lead at Quail Hollow
US-GOLF-PGACHAMP:Golf-Vegas doubles down, hold clubhouse lead at Quail Hollow
By Frank Pingue
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas refused to relinquish his grip on the PGA Championship and held the clubhouse lead midway through the second round on Friday at Quail Hollow where Max Homa fired the lowest major round of his career to move into contention.
Vegas, who began the day two shots clear and leading a major for the first time in his career, returned a one-under-par 70 at Quail Hollow Club to reach eight under on the week, leaving him two shots clear of Frenchman Matthieu Pavon .
Max Homa, who won his maiden PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow in 2019, was in the clubhouse with the low round of the day after firing a seven-under-par 64 that left him in third place and a further shot adrift.
Vegas had a four-shot lead when he reached the par-four closing hole but ran into trouble after he sent his approach from the middle of the fairway into a greenside bunker.
What looked like a routine up-and-down turned into a double-bogey finish as Vegas mis-hit his third shot and watched it roll off the green from where he chipped it close and then missed a pair of short putts.
"It was a great day," said Vegas, who before this week had never held the lead or co-lead in a major championship. "I can't really get to down on myself for making a double on 18 even thought I wish I didn't make that.
"I just have to remember the good stuff and keep it up for two more days."
Vegas bogeyed his second hole but then quickly settled in and got back to even par at the seventh hole and nearly chipped in for birdie from 93 feet at the par-four ninth where his third shot rolled over the edge of the cup.
He added another three birdies on the back nine and caught a fortuitous break at the 17th where his tee shot bounced off a rake near a bunker and rolled onto the green from where he two-putted for par.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, whose opening 69 was the lowest score from his high-profile group featuring Rory McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele went out with the late starters in the same company.
Among the other late starters was Luke Donald, 47-year-old European Ryder Cup captain who was three shots off the pace after the opening round.
Fan favourite and U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, a runner-up at last year's PGA Championship, carded a three-under-par 68 but capped his day with a disappointing bogey that left him five shots back of Vegas.
"It was a weird day today, much like yesterday. I felt like I was playing good, just didn't get anything out of it," said DeChambeau.
"Today was a little bit better on some of the holes. Still got some weird breaks out there. That's what this golf course does to you. It was tricky with the wind kind of swirling, but for the most part, I felt pretty good."
Jordan Spieth, making his ninth attempt at securing the career Grand Slam, carded a three-under-par 68 but was sitting one shot outside the projected one over cutline.
Other notables in the clubhouse and at risk of missing the cut are defending champion Xander Schauffele, 2017 winner and world number five Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, Ludvig Abverg and Masters runner-up Justin Rose.
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