Tulsa (United States) (AFP) - Justin Thomas battled through blustery conditions to seize the lead late in Friday's second round of the PGA Championship while Tiger Woods struggled to make the cut at daunting Southern Hills.
Ninth-ranked Thomas, the 2017 PGA champion, sank a nine-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole, his last of the day, to shoot a second consecutive three-under par 67 and swipe a one-stroke lead on six-under 134.
"Very pleased," Thomas said."I played really well today.The conditions were obviously very difficult.I stayed very patient, tried to get in my own little world and get in a zone and just tried to execute each shot the best I could.
"I felt we did a great job of that and I'm glad to have a good round to show for it."
The 29-year-old American grinded through what he called brutal winds Friday with gusts above 40 mph, opening and closing with birdies and adding two more on par-5 holes against a lone bogey to produce 67 or better in back-to-back rounds for the first time in 26 major starts.
Thomas matched his best 36-hole major start from the 2018 PGA.
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, who led Thursday after a 65, played before a huge crowd alongside Woods, in the second event of his comeback from severe leg injuries, and Jordan Spieth, trying to complete a career Grand Slam, after winds subsided.
Woods, the 15-time major winner, fired a 74 Thursday and was on the projected cut line at 4-over after a five-foot birdie putt at the par-5 fifth and a bogey at the par-3 eighth.
Woods, injured in a February 2021 car crash, placed 47th in his return in April's Masters, where walking 72 holes was an achievement.
Spieth was at 2-over overall and level for the round after nine holes.
McIlroy, chasing his first major title since the 2014 PGA, stumbled with bogeys at the par-4 second, never finding the fairway before a 10-foot bogey putt, and seventh holes, missing a seven-foot par putt.
Rising in his place to 5-under, one adrift of Thomas, were American Will Zalatoris, thanks to a tap-in birdie at the first, and Chile's Mito Pereira, who sank an 11-foot birdie putt at the second to reach three-under after 11 holes.
Thomas rolled in a six-foot birdie putt at the 10th and followed at 13 by dropping his approach inside four feet of the cup and sinking the putt.
Thomas found a bunker and made bogey at the par-3 14th then made eight pars before sinking a 23-foot birdie putt at the par-5 fifth, setting the stage for his closing glory.
"I played really well," Thomas said."Getting the ball in the fairway I could flight the ball onto the green and get a birdie putt and that's what I did a lot.
"If I keep doing what I'm doing and stay patient, I like what's in store for the week."
After nearly five years of frustration trying to duplicate his breakthrough major victory at Quail Hollow, Thomas is comfortable this week.
"We're halfway through so it's still a long way from home," Thomas said."But I'm very pleased with where everything is at and the frame of mind and state of mind that I'm in."
Scheffler over cut line
The world's three top-ranked golfers were grouped in a major for the first time since the 2013 US Open but all were over par overall.
Spain's second-ranked Jon Rahm, the reigning US Open champion from Spain who could return to number one with a victory, shot 69 to stand on 142.
"Today I can't ask much more of myself," Rahm said."It was a good day.It was good golf.Just tough.And I played really good to show one-under."
Third-ranked American Collin Morikawa, the reigning British Open champion, fired his second 72 to stand on 144.
Top-ranked Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, who has won four of his past eight starts, fired a 75 to stand on 146 with two-time major winner Dustin Johnson.
Others at risk of missing the weekend include past Masters winners Adam Scott of Australia and Sergio Garcia of Spain.
