A crazy second day at Valhalla as Xander Schauffele -12 takes a one-shot lead over Collin Morikawa into day three
It was a surprise that PGA of America didn’t decide to bring placing into affect especially with multiple mud balls and consistent drizzle on Friday. Day two was delayed by one hour and 20 minutes due to a fatal accident outside the gates of Valhalla Golf Club at 5:09Am America time. 6:01Am Scottie Scheffler was in handcuffs, brought to Kentucky Police Department and returned to Valhalla Golf Club in a Range Rover at 9:12AM. Scheffler -4 decided to still participate and achieved an up & down from 92 yards at the 10th hole to reach -5. A rare mistake by Scheffler at 11 resulting in a bogey but bounced back immediately with a birdie at his next hole to return -5. The world number one finished his front nine with a birdie to shoot an impressive -2 and move to -6.
It was business as usual from the two-time Masters champion as he advanced to -8 due to making birdies at his 10th and 13th hole. Scheffler was out of position at the par five seventh hole but still managed to escape with a birdie to reach -9. It takes a lot of resilience after everything that happened on Friday morning for Scheffler just to play let alone shoot an incredible round of 66. 2020 PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa -5 also started his round at 10 and moved up to -7 due to a front nine of 34. Morikawa returned to his old coach Rich Sessinghaus and was back to his best especially in making five birdies in a row to take the lead on -12. Morikawa finished with a bogey at the ninth hole but shot an impressive round of 65.
18 hole -9 leader Xander Schauffele started his second round two shots behind -11 Morikawa. Schauffele continued to impress as he shot a front nine of -3 to retake the lead on -12. 2021 Olympic Gold Medallist reached -13 after 10 holes but returned to -12 due to a bogey at 12. Schauffele was unsuccessful in achieving another birdie and shot a -3 round of 68 to finish -12.
Sahith Theegala -6 achieved a front nine of -4 including an excellent birdie at the ninth hole. Theegala’s final birdie on Friday came at the 12th and will head into Saturday two-shots behind leader Schauffele. The chances of a LIV Tour member winning is still alive as 2020 US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau shot an incredible round of 66 to join Scheffler on -9. Mark Hubbard and Thomas Detry are also in good shape in tied fourth on -9. The eight under’s include Tony Finau, Austin Eckroat and Viktor Hovland another player that has gone back to his former coach Joe Mayo. Defending PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka had an up and down second day but keeps his hopes of a fourth win alive as he will head into Saturday on -7.
Rory McIlroy played day one and two with Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose. McIlroy shot an impressive opening round of 66 and teed off on Friday at 03:00PM America time. McIlroy got off to a perfect start on Friday by holing a tram liner for birdie at the first hole to reach -6. The Northern Irishman missed the fairway at six resulting in a bogey and returning to -5. McIlroy made two great putts for birdie at seven and a par at the ninth hole to shoot a -1 front nine. A massive mistake by McIlroy as his second shot at 12 found a greenside bunker and a disappointing three putt resulting in a double bogey. McIlroy finished with a birdie at 18 to shoot a level par round of 71.
Shane Lowry -2 shot a great front nine of 34 to reach -4. The Offaly native played his back nine in level par to finish -4. -1 was the halfway cut and major champions including Padraig Harrington and Tiger Woods are forced to have a weekend off. With McIlroy -5 and Lowry -4 they still have a chance of winning but a low round is crucial on moving day.