McIlroy Surges to Front at PGA Championship


Rory McIlroy continues his recent streak of outstanding play. The 25-year-old Northern Irishman followed up his opening 5-under 66 with a 67 to reach 9-under 133 and take the 36-hole lead in the PGA Championship. The final major of the year is taking place at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville.

With rains softening the course, the long-hitting and accurate McIlroy - coming off two straight victories in the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool and the Bridgestone last Sunday - is taking advantage of the conditions and showing, for the second consecutive day, why he merits being ranked No. 1 in the world.

The three-time major winner recorded four birdies, two bogeys and an eagle on the par-5 18th (his ninth hole Friday after starting at the 10th). He enjoys a one-stroke lead over 26-year-old Australian Jason Day, who fired the low second round, a 6-under 65 which included a 30 on the front nine that listed three birdies and an eagle at the par-5 seventh.

Also at 8-under is late-finisher 44-year-old Jim Furyk, who has carded a 66 and 68.

As expected, weather was a factor Friday. The second round started as scheduled, but heavy rain left standing water on the greens, forcing officials to suspend play after only 20 minutes. Fifty minutes later, play resumed, although it continued to rain for most of the morning before clearing up around noon. Despite the delays, the entire field completed the second round.

Two shots further back are one of the three 18-hole co-leaders, Ryan Palmer, who followed up his opening 65 with a 70, Rickie Fowler, who's posted rounds of 69 and 66, and Finland's Mikko Ilonen (67 and 68).

"Another very solid day's work," McIlroy told reporters. "Conditions were obviously a little tougher than they were yesterday and especially on our front nine, which is the back nine, you needed to stay really patient, because the rain was coming down pretty heavily at times.

"It was just about managing your game and putting the ball in the fairway and trying to put it somewhere on the green and I was able to make a few birdies on the back nine and to finish off with that eagle on the last was nice. Pretty scrappy, to be honest, around the start of the front nine," added McIlroy who teed off Friday morning.

"But a couple of key up and downs, which were pretty important, and then to birdie two of the last three . . . that feels good, and gives me, right now, a little bit of a cushion, but depends on what the guys do this afternoon.

"Really happy with the day's work and another great chance to win a major championship going into the weekend."

Day is also pleased heading into Saturday, when he'll be paired in the final group with McIlroy. "I'm very happy with my win," he said during a TV interview. "There's a lot of great players in form right now . . . I've just got to go out and play my golf."

Though he hasn't yet pulled off a victory in one of golf's Grand Slam events, the 25-year-old Fowler has come close, especially this year, finishing tied for fifth at the Masters and logging T2s in the U.S. Open and British Open. "I'd say each major I've felt more and more comfortable," Fowler told reporters.

"The Masters is the most comfortable I had felt in a major . . . and then being in the final group at the U.S. Open, and then another final group with Rory at the Open. . . . It doesn't feel like a big stage. I feel like I'm out there having fun. Like I said, I like where my game is at. It will be a battle this weekend. I'm looking forward to it. We'll see how many guys we can get to jump on and see who comes out on top."

Phil Mickelson is also enjoying a fine tournament. The 44-year-old five-time major winner has posted rounds of 69 and 67 and is only three behind McIlroy along with Austria's Bernd Wiesberger (two 68s).

Tied for ninth at 5-under 137 are Canada's Graham DeLaet (68), American Steve Stricker (68), Sweden's Henrik Stenson (71), Netherlands' Joost Luiten (69), France's Victor Dubuisson (68), South African Louis Oosthuizen (67) and England's Lee Westwood. The 41-year-old Westwood held a share of the lead in the morning but shot a 72 Friday.

The other 18-hole co-leader, Californian Kevin Chappell, had a 74 to drop to 3-under 139.

The cut was set at 1-over 143. Among the more notables making it to the last two rounds are a couple of 50-somethings - Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and local favorite, Kenny Perry of Kentucky. The 51-year-old Monty shot a 72 and is at even-par 142, while the 53-year-old Perry - like Montgomerie one of the Champions Tour's top players - carded a 69 and heads into Saturday at 1-under 141.

"I'm in good position . . . I made the cut and get to play on the weekend, which is a treat," said Perry. "That's all I tried to do this week was to play well enough to get to the weekend."

Kentuckian J.B. Holmes (140) also advanced along with major champions Vijay Singh, Geoff Ogilvy, Ernie Els, Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel, Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson and Graeme McDowell.

Among those not making the cut is 14-time major champion Tiger Woods, who's still suffering the effects of back surgery in late March. The 38-year-old posted two 74s.

"I need to get stronger . . . it's just not quite there yet. I need get stronger physically and be back there where I was," Woods said during a brief TV interview. Woods has missed only 12 cuts in his illustrious PGA Tour career, with two of them coming in 2014 (the first came at the Quicken Loans National last month).

Also heading home are major champions Martin Kaymer (2014 U.S. Open winner), Padraig Harrington, Tom Watson, Davis Love III, Y.E. Yang, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Stewart Cink, Darren Clarke, John Daly, Shaun Micheel, Rich Beem and Mark Brooks.

None of the club pros in the 96th PGA Championship made the cut.

Defending champion Jason Dufner (neck) was joined by fellow Americans Ben Crane (back) and Boo Weekley (shoulder), Argentine Angel Cabrera (shoulder) and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat (knee) on the withdrawal list due to injury.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/scoring/leaderboard.