Vegas misses jackpot amid high drama at Quail Hollow
Doug Ferguson and Ian Chadband |
Jhonattan Vegas was in front for first time in a major and didn’t back down in a PGA Championship filled with drama everywhere but at the top of the leaderboard.
Looming large amid an eclectic mix of contenders is world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, still not in full control of his game but only three shots back going into the weekend.
Vegas cruised through the back nine at muggy Quail Hollow and was 10 under par until he made a mess of a bunker shot and then missed a three-foot putt on 18 and ended an otherwise splendid day with a double bogey for an even-par 70, giving him a two-shot lead.
“It was a great day,” said Vegas, determined not to be put off by his anti-climactic finish.
“I can’t really get to down on myself for making a double on 18, even though I wish I didn’t make that.
“I just have to remember the good stuff and keep it up for two more days.”
He is eight under, two ahead of Frenchman Matthieu Pavon (65), former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick (68) and Si Woo Kim, the engaging South Korean who made an ace on the longest par-3 at Quail Hollow on his way to a 64.
Kim hit 5-wood on the 252-yard sixth hole, making it the longest hole-in-one in major championship history.
Scheffler backed up his first-day 69 with a 68 to be lurking ominously.
Vegas’s lacklustre finish gave fresh hope to all his pursuers, including Australians Cam Davis and Adam Scott, who sit at two under through 36 holes.
Davis, five under after his first round, had a disappointing follow-up, slumping to a three-over 74, while veteran Scott, who’d started impressively from the 10th hole, also had a double bogey at 18 that halted his momentum in a second-round 71.
Rookie Elvis Smylie also made the cut but will rue dropping four shots in his last five holes to slip from three under late to one over.
US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau had a three-under-par 68 but capped his day with a disappointing bogey that left him five shots back of Vegas.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele had a stressful afternoon just to make the cut and extend his streak to 64, the longest on the PGA Tour since Tiger Woods set the record at 142 tournaments 20 years ago.
Rory McIlroy had another tough day off the tee, and perhaps one reason for hitting only 10 out of 28 fairways over two rounds came from news that developed late in the afternoon.
Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio was first to report his driver was tested and deemed not fit to play under USGA regulations.
The test was Tuesday and McIlroy had to find a new driver to put in play.
For the second straight day, the Masters champion and latest member of the career grand slam club declined to speak to the media after shooting 69 to make the one-over cut on the number with a bogey-bogey finish.
There was no way back for Australia’s former British Open champion Cameron Smith after his opening-day 78 as his level-par second round ensured he would miss the cut.
Compatriots Min Woo Lee (74-72), former winner Jason Day (73-75) and Karl Vilips (78-75) will also have a weekend off.
Other notables with early departures were grand slam-chasing Jordan Spieth, two-time winner Justin Thomas, triple champion Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, Ludvig Aberg and Masters runner-up Justin Rose.
With The Associated Press
AAP
