Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesJustin Thomas lines up a putt on the fourth green during the second round of the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.CHARLOTTE — Now, that’s more like it.
An opening-round 73 at the PGA Championship on Thursday was hardly the way Justin Thomas wanted to start the year’s final major. But bouncing back with a five-under 66 at Quail Hollow Club while leaving him just five strokes off the lead of Kevin Kisner and Hideki Matsuyama, suited the 24-year-old just fine.
“I definitely worked on driving after I played yesterday, just trying to get it in the fairway, playing the par 3s better,” Thomas said. “I did both today so that was nice. … Got myself back in the tournament.”
It’s safe to say that Thomas’ 2017 major season has been eventful, if not altogether satisfying, particularly considering the heightened expectations that came with his three early PGA Tour wins. A T-22 finish at the Masters felt OK given his 71-70 weekend showing. And then came the impres..

Ross KinnairdCHARLOTTE, NC – AUGUST 11: Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays his third shot on the 16th hole during the second round of the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club on August 11, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)Last week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Hideki Matsuyama closed out the tournament with a final-round, course-record 61, and made it look easy. He came back to earth Thursday at the PGA Championship, which by his standards was posting a one-under 70 at Quail Hollow Club. On Friday though, the world No. 3 returned to his Firestone form, carding a bogey-free seven-under 64 to tie Kevin Kisner for the lead at eight-under 134.
Matsuyama, 25, was quietly lurking at three under for the championship through 11 holes of his second round. Then, he skyrocketed up the leader board, making four consecutive birdies beginning at the par-4 12th, and added one more on the par-3 17th to post a five-under 31 on the back nine. Matsuyama&#..

Icon SportswireCHARLOTTE, NC – AUGUST 11: Jordan Spieth hits an iron out from a natural area on the 10th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship on August 11, 2017 at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Area storms caused an hour-and-40-minute delay during Day 2 at the 99th PGA Championship and led to an exciting finish as players raced — literally — to finish their rounds. And we'll race through Friday's highs and lows with our latest edition of winners and losers.
Winner: Hideki Matsuyama
Last week's winner at the WGC-Bridgestone was making the biggest move of anyone until play was suspended on Friday afternoon. Matsuyama was five under through 14 holes and. . . the break did nothing to cool him off. He returned to the course to birdie No. 15 and play the “Green Mile” in one under to post a 64. The World No. 3 who is in search of major title No. 1 has a 36-hole (co-)lead at one of golf's..

Warren Little/Getty ImagesRickie Fowler waits to putt on the 14th hole during the second round of the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.CHARLOTTE — Emerging from the clubhouse at Quail Hollow Club Friday afternoon after a post-round television interview, Rickie Fowler pulled his cap down low over his forehead so that he had to tilt his head back to see where he was walking. He playfully bounced off of a couple of reporters like he was a pinball as he made his way to the podium to meet with a larger media contingent.
If Fowler is feeling the pressure to win his first major championship, he isn’t showing it much through the first two days of the 99th PGA Championship.
Winning isn’t easy when you’re popular, though Tiger Woods and the late Arnold Palmer managed just fine. Fowler is easily one of the biggest draws in golf today—and has been since he turned professional in 2009. He wore colorful clothes, exuded coolness with his mop of hair blooming under a flat-billed cap and conn..