CHARLOTTE—What looked like a potentially large lead for Kevin Kisner after Friday's morning wave eventually changed with an exciting finish to the second round—with Hideki Matsuyama's blazing hot back-nine 31 for a second-round 64 and Jason Day finishing with a 67 to be one back. That trio will tee off at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday with all eyes on the next PGA champion coming out of that group.
That being said, there is a ton of golf left to play. And no one in the top 20 is out of this. 2010 Open champ Louis Oosthuizen is just three back and capable of catching fire. He tees off with Francesco Molinari after Molinari's second-round 64, and Chris Stroud, whose consistent 68s have him just two back.
And the third-to-last group could definitely provide some fireworks. Buddies Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas will tee it up with Paul Casey, all at 3-under, attempting to make up ground on the leaders on Saturday. We'll have updates of the biggest happenings from Quail Hollow.
1:41 PM: Can the group at 3-under with Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas and Paul Casey make up some ground on the leaders? They're teeing off now in their third round.
1:03 PM: All week, Rickie Fowler has appeared focused on the task at-hand — winning his first major title. He spoke with Amanda Balionis before his round to talk about his mind-set before he tees off at 1:40.
12:15 PM: Jordan Spieth's fading a bit more on Saturday at Quail Hollow, but he hit this fantastic pitch shot that somehow didn't drop. But we can still admire the shot for its terrific touch.
11:37 AM: There are low numbers out there on the first nine holes, as proven by J.B. Holmes. The big-hitting Kentuckian is 3-under through his opening seven holes with birdies on the new par-3 fourth hole and Nos. 5 and 7.
11:16 AM: Jordan Spieth starts his third round off with a bogey at the ultra-tough opening hole. His fellow playing competitors (Tommy Fleetwood and Vijay Singh) also bogeyed this beast of a hole, playing even tougher in these soggy conditions. Only nine pars so far against 16 bogeys and one double (Adam Scott).
9:10 AM: As we wait for the third round to get underway after the completion of the second round, here are some interesting numbers about how Quail Hollow is playing.
8:31 AM: Here are the final couple of tee times for Moving Day at Quail Hollow.
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(All times ET)
8:43 PM: This stat really sums up Hideki Matsuyama's torrid pace the past three rounds. I mean, how good is this?
8:32 PM: Jason Day finished up his second round with four straight pars to put himself just two back of Kevin Kisner and Hideki Matsuyama. It has been a disappointing season for Day this year. He's in a position now to erase that notion, and more.
Oh, one more thing, there are now bats circling the clubhouse … totally normal:
[https://twitter.com/WillGrayGC/status/896167811608915968]
8:14 PM: The horn has sounded at Quail Hollow. Everyone has the chance to finish their hole — or they can choose to come back tomorrow morning to continue.
https://twitter.com/PGAChampionship/status/896162780037775360
For Rod Pampling, we're pretty sure he'd agree that hindsight is 20-20. He just hit one of the worst duck pulls with his driver in the shottracker era.
7:58 PM: Very quietly, Justin Thomas is lurking behind the leaders after a stellar second-round 66. The round included six birdies and one bogey — putting the 24-year-old in the mix at a major:
7:37 PM: What looked like a tough-to-catch four-stroke lead for Kevin Kisner was just caught. Hideki Matsuyama just made five birdies over the difficult final seven-hole stretch at Quail Hollow to card a second-round 64.
How good is that? Following his five-shot win at the WGC-Bridgestone last week in Akron, in which he shot a final-round 61, the World No. 3 somehow flew into Charlotte under the radar. Friday afternoon was an incredible stretch for Matsuyama with that 31 on the back, putting himself in contention to get his first major title.
And Day's round has a chance to be equally good, too, following yet another birdie on his inward nine, with the par-5 15th to play.
7:17 PM: Hideki Matsuyama is absolutely tearing apart the back nine in these wet conditions. Five birdies over his past six holes have given the 25-year-old a share for the lead with Kevin Kisner. What a run . . .
7:07 PM: Jason Day dropping longggg birdie putts to avenge that bogey at 11. BOOM!
https://twitter.com/PGAChampionship/status/896147325118169088
6:57 PM: Golf is a cruel, cruel game. Shane Lowry had one of the best rounds going this afternoon, just needing to par in to match Ryan Fox's 66 for the best of the day. In the greenside bunker at the par-3 17th, Lowry's shot rolled through the green and into the water.
That meant Lowry had to walk back to the drop area and hit across the water again. Poor Shane. That bad erases a lot of good.
A really nice fourth shot had too much zip, and he just missed the putt for 5. Make that a 6. That's really going to burn.
While that short-game mess was going on, Spieth had a sporty up-and-down at the par-3 13th hole to remain +2. The 24-year-old has some momentum on his side.
https://twitter.com/PGAChampionship/status/896143378504601600
Brooks Koepka did not get up and down from the same spot as Spieth, so he's back to 1-under for the tourney.
6:41 PM: Hideki Matsuyama is officially on fire. How about this stretch?
The World No. 3 is now one back of Kevin Kisner's lead with the Green Mile still to navigate.
Meanwhile, Day dropped a shot at 11 after that tee shot and a flubbed chip for the third shot. He still has some birdie holes ahead of him, but he moves back to 4-under (-3 on the day).
6:35 PM: Jason Day sniped his first tee shot post-delay to the left at the 11th hole, but he caught a break being in the pine straw. His approach rolled through the green, so he'll need a good up-and-down to save his par.
6:26 PM: The players are in position, and we're back underway at Quail Hollow. Who could the weather delay help? Jordan Spieth, who was leaking oil when play was suspended — making a mess from the trees on the 10th hole with a bogey on the par 5. He's two-over for the round, and +3 overall.
Some of the players who couldn't have been happy about the delay? Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama, who both have the hottest rounds of the afternoon going. Matsuyama's playing the par-5 15th hole, and Day is playing No. 11.
6:10 PM: How do you help keep practice fun? Sometimes, just keeping things light helps.
5:45 PM: Players are headed to the practice area, and play is set to resume at 6:25 PM.
4:47 PM: Just when things were getting excited, the horn blows and play is suspended.
https://twitter.com/PGAChampionship/status/896110012002586628
As of now, 17 players are under par, 12 of them still on the course. Here's where we stand:
4:40 PM: Matsuyama holes the short one and is now in solo second at six under, just two back. He's still yet to record a bogey.
4:35 PM: If Jason Day is on fire, what does that make Hideki Matusyama? He's made two straight birdies and just stuffed one tight on the short par-4 14th. If he rolls that one in, he'll get to six under overall, just two behind Kisner.
Jordan Spieth "saves" bogey at the par-5 10th. Quite a wild ride.
https://twitter.com/TwoInchesShort/status/896107394157076480
4:30 PM: Jordan Spieth is struggling at the par-5 10th, a hole players have eaten up today. Instead of picking up a shot he's in danger of dropping one, if not two. His drive found the woods down the right side, then he punched out through the fairway and into the woods down the left side. His next shot clipped a branch, and then he finally punched up near the green. For Spieth, it should be an easy up and down for bogey.
4:22 PM: Jason Day is officially en fuego. He just made another birdie to turn in three-under 32 and get to four under for the tournament.
4:15 PM: We've yet to mention him yet, but that's because Francesco Molinari is flying under the radar on Friday. He just turned in four-under 32 after making a birdie on the 18th. He's bogey free and sits at two under for the tournament. In eight appearances at the PGA Championship, the Italian has never missed the cut.
Looks like Jason Day could be Jason Day again. The Australian has gone eagle-birdie on the seventh and eighth holes to get to three under overall, five off the lead.
World No. 3 Hideki Matsuyama also just rolled in a birdie. He and Louis Oosthuizen, who have combined for zero bogeys and six birdies in the second round, are tied for second at four under.
4:00 PM: Another birdie at the par-4 16th for Louis Oosthuizen gets him to four under for the championship, good enough for solo second after Thorbjorn Olesen's double bogey at the par-5 15th.
3:57 PM: Well, well, well.. Look who just got to two under with the help of this majestic shot at the par-5 seventh.
That's right, Jason Day is in the mix at the PGA Championship. While he has struggled all year, it's still not too surprising. When Day shows up at the PGA, he shines. His last four appearances alone have resulted in a solo second, a win, a T-15 and a T-8. Decent.
3:40 PM: Unfortunately for Koepka, his Houdini act still led to a bogey, and he followed it up with another at the par-3 sixth. He did get one back at the par-5 seventh, which gets him to two under for the tournament, six back of Kisner.
3:30 PM: For normal golfers, attempting this shot results in hitting the tree almost 100% of the time. Brooks Koepka is not a normal golfer:
3:25 PM: Louis Oosthuizen climbs up the board with a birdie at the short par-4 14th to get to two under on the day, three under on the tournament. He's tied for third with Matsuyama, Woodland, Stroud and Fowler, who is the only one in the clubhouse. Oosty has finished in the top-30 in his last four appearances at the PGA.
Just 19 players are under par for the championship, including Justin Thomas, who just made his third birdie of the day to get to three under on his round. He's one under overall, seven back of Kisner.
3:08 PM: Not much going on with Jordan Spieth, who is one over for the day and two over for the tournament. He just found the green at the 250-yard par-3 sixth and has a look at birdie.
Justin Thomas is two under for the day, even for the tournament. This bomb of a putt at the sixth hole helped.
2:58 PM: Players are feasting on the par-5 10th today, including Chris Stroud, who just began his round with a birdie there. He's tied for third with Gary Woodland at four under.
2:56 PM: Thanks to three birdies in a row, Tony Finau has joined the crowd at three under par for the championship, and this came after he bogeyed two in a row at the 12th and 13th holes.
Also at three under is Hideki Matsuyama, who just made his second birdie of the day at the par-5 seventh. He has yet to drop a shot in his round.
2:38 PM: New Zealand's Ryan Fox posts the round of the week, a five-under 66 that featured six birdies and just one bogey. If you thought he'd flinch at the Green Mile, he did the opposite, playing the three hole stretch in one under par to finish strong. He's at one under for the championship, seven off the lead.
2:25 PM: At 11-over, Phil Mickelson will miss the cut at the PGA Championship for the first time since 1995. Not what anyone expected from Lefty, who had a great record at Quail Hollow prior to this week.
Thorbjorn Olesen birdies his opening hole and is now in solo second at five under.
Among a group at two under, six back of Kisner, is Hideki Matsuyama, who just made birdie at the par-4 fifth. The world No. 3 has picked up right where he left off last week at the WGC-Bridgestone, where he shot a final round, course record 61 to seal the victory. He's looking for his first major championship this week.
2:09 PM: Awesome finish by Steve Stricker to get to three over for the championship and on the right side of the cut line, which should keep this insane stat alive.
1:55 PM: Kisner posts a second straight four-under 67 to get to eight under for the championship. Incredibly impressive stuff from the South Carolina native.
Four back is Gary Woodland, who made birdie on his opening hole, the par-5 10th.
Jordan Spieth hits a great bunker shot on the first hole and saves par. We'll see if that gives him some confidence.
1:41 PM: Byeong Hun An had an interesting final six holes, but it was good enough for a two-under 69. He's at two under for the championship.
D.A. Points is not only struggling on the Green Mile, he's completely imploding. Back-to-back double bogeys on the 16th and 17th have dropped him to one under for the tournament, two over for the day. At this point, a par at 18 would feel like a birdie.
Meanwhile at the first tee, Sergio, Spieth and Koepka have all found the fairway with their opening drives.
1:28 PM: "Club pro" Omar Uresti posts a solid one-under 70 on Friday. Looks like he'll definitely make the cut at two over through 36 holes.
McIlroy's final birdie look of the day literally hangs on the cup for 10 seconds, but doesn't fall. He cleans it up for a one-over 72 and sits at two over for the championship, safely inside the projected cut line.
Rickie Fowler finishes up a boring, but very effective round of one-under 70 and is three-under through two rounds. He's five back of Kevin Kisner, who is at eight under with two holes to play.
Jon Rahm's four-over 75 has him at three over after 36 holes. All he can do is wait and hope that's good enough to play the weekend.
1:15 PM: Kevin Kisner from downtown on the par-5 seventh. He makes an eagle-3 after a stretch of nine consecutive pars to get to eight-under, three clear of D.A. Points.
1:09 PM: D.A. Points takes advantage of the short par-4 14th and par-5 15th with back-to-back birdies. He's at five under, one back of Kisner, heading to the Green Mile. Had this one fallen, they'd be tied at the top.
Rory McIlroy is clawing his way to the finish with another birdie at the eighth. He's back to two over and on the right side of the cut line with one hole to play.
12:55 PM: At the par-5 seventh, Jon Rahm lips out a birdie putt and stays at three over, right on the cut line. McIlroy converts his must-make birdie look to get to three over as well with two to play. Rickie Fowler makes his eighth straight par to remain at three under, three back.
Tied with Fowler is Byeong Hun An, who just made back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th holes.
Grayson Murray just completed his first hole and walked away with birdie. Not a bad way to start. He's at four under for the championship, tied with Olesen and D.A. Points.
12:30 PM: Oh dear. Rory McIlroy has now made four bogeys in his last five holes to fall to four over par. The PGA Championship favorite is in danger of missing the cut, which is now projected at three over. He has just three holes to play.
Rickie Fowler makes his seventh par in a row to remain at three under, three back of Kisner.
12:20 PM: After making three birdies and a bogey on his first six holes, Kevin Kisner has followed that stretch up with five straight pars. He's still at six under, leading by two.
Kevin Na won't be shooting 59 today, but he still has one of the best rounds on the course. After a bogey at the par-4 16th, he made two straight pars to turn in four under 32. He's not alone at four under on the day though. New Zealand's Ryan Fox posted a four under 31 on his front nine.
12:03 PM: At the par-3 fourth, Jon Rahm had a long look at birdie from off the green, and it was tracking all the way.
So, so close. It would have been his second of the day, and first since his opening hole. He's made five straight pars and is still two over for the championship.
As for Rory, he gets off the bogey train and makes par to stay at two over. Let's hope he and Rahm don't drop any more shots on their way in, because they are getting dangerously close to the projected cut.
11:53 PM: If you thought D.A. Points was going to fade away on Friday, it's not happening so far. He makes the turn in one-under 34 to get into a tie for second with Thorbjorn Olesen, who is still over two hours away from teeing off.
11:49 PM: Yikes. Rory three-putts at the third hole and makes another bogey. He joins Jon Rahm at two over, eight back of Kisner.
Fowler continues to plug along with another par to remain at three under.
11:31 PM: Rory McIlroy drops his first shot of the day at the par-4 second and goes back to one over for the championship. He's still even par on the day, but with Kisner at six under, he'll need to pick up at least a shot or two on his last seven holes.
Rickie Fowler makes par to stay three back.
11:27 PM: Coming into the second round Kevin Na was eight over, 12 shots off the lead and in danger of missing the cut. Five birdies on his first six holes has changed that.
59 watch ?
11:01 AM: Kevin Kisner remains at six under through seven holes, and he holds a two-shot lead over Thorbjorn Olesen, who tees off at 2 p.m. Olesen is followed by a group at three under that includes Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka, who tees off with Jordan Spieth and Sergio Garcia at 1:35. Speaking of Spieth, Fowler said what's up to his friend on his way from the 18th green to the first tee:
10:49 AM: Jon Rahm is rumbling off the rails right now. And after his tee shot finds the water on the par-4 18th, he showed his frustration:
Rahm managed to escape with a nifty par, but it was still a disappointing 39 on his first nine to drop him to two over for the tournament. Rickie Fowler, who is employing a conservative game plan off the tee, made the turn at 3 under while McIlroy is even after both shot 35.
10:37 AM: Rickie Fowler rolls in a 15-footer for birdie on the par-3 17th to move to three under.
Fowler leads the tour in strokes gained: putting, and he's rolled it beautifully on Quail Hollow's Bermuda greens thus far. Just one blip, a triple bogey when he clipped the lip of a fairway bunker on the fifth hole on Thursday, has him out of the current lead. But it's nice to see the star make his way onto a leader board that at the moment, is, um, not the most exciting. . .
10:25 AM: McIlroy hits another massive drive on the par-4 16th:
He then stuffs his approach to nine feet and. . . misses the putt. One guy who isn't missing much early on, however, is Jordan Smith. The recent first-time European Tour winner birdies two of his first four holes to get to T-3 at three under, three shots behind Kevin Kisner.
10:07 AM: Odd occurrence on the par-5 15th as Rory McIlroy's third shot from a greenside bunker hits Jon Rahm's ball on the green.
https://twitter.com/PGAChampionship/status/896009818963550208
The weird/bad break leaves McIlroy with a 10-footer for birdie, but he makes it for his first birdie of the day to get to even par. It's also his first make of longer than six feet of the week. With a putter, that is. McIlroy chipped in for birdie on his third hole on Thursday. Meanwhile, Rahm makes bogey and Rickie Fowler pars to remain at two under.
9:48 AM: Rickie Fowler birdies the short par-4 14th to get back to two under. Rory McIlroy misses his birdie attempt from eight feet, meaning he still hasn't made a putt longer than six feet so far this week. He does one better than Jon Rahm, though, who found the water with his tee shot and made bogey.
9:38 AM: Kevin Kisner birdies two of his first three holes to grab the solo lead at six under. Kisner enters this tournament at ninth in the FedEx Cup standings having made nearly $4 million this season, but he's never finished in the top 10 at a major championship.
9:29 AM: McIlroy, Fowler and Rahm all miss the green on the par-3 13th, but all manage up-and-down pars. Still, it's a slow start for the marquee group under ideal scoring conditions with McIlroy and Rahm even through four holes and Fowler one over.
8:41 AM: After hitting a bad second shot and getting a bad break by having his ball roll way down a cart path, Rory McIlroy hits a remarkable recovery shot to get up around the 10th green on his opening hole. A superb pitch gave him a tap-in par to avoid what could have been a rough start. Fowler also makes par, while Rahm makes birdie to join Rickie at two under. Here's Rory's recovery shot:
https://twitter.com/PGAChampionship/status/895988857350389761
8:35 AM: The second of Friday's featured groups on PGA.com — Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar, and Chris Kirk — arrives on the 10th tee to begin its second round. It seems Thursday's featured group of Phil Mickelson, Jason Dufner, and defending champ Jimmy Walker got the boot after shooting a combined 21 over par. Probably for the best.
8:27 AM: The morning's marquee group of Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Jon Rahm tees off the 10th hole. McIlroy goes right, Rahm goes left, and Fowler finds the fairway with a 3-wood. Fowler posted the low round of the group (69) on Thursday, despite making a triple bogey on the fifth hole. You can actually watch this group's round live-streamed on PGA.com or the PGA Championship's app. Otherwise, TNT's TV coverage doesn't come on until 1 p.m.
8:13 AM: For a second straight day (knock on wood), it looks like we might get lucky with the weather. Here's the latest look at the forecast:
8:10 AM: Here's a look at the pin positions for the second round, and, well, good luck, guys!