US PGA R2: Scottie Scheffler, Corey Conners, Viktor Hovland lead at Oak Hill
Scottie Scheffler, Corey Conners and Viktor Hovland lead the US PGA as LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka makes his move. Rory McIlroy is there, too.
Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners moved into a share of the 36-hole lead at the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill on a day where LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka made his move.
Scheffler bogeyed the 18th for a round of 68 that sees him tied for the lead on 5-under par alongside Canada's Corey Conners, who also carded a 68, and Norway's Viktor Hovland, who birdied the last for a 67.
Who wins the US PGA?
— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) May 19, 2023
Conners and Hovland are both bidding to win their maiden major titles while Scheffler is looking to collect a second to go alongside his green jacket from the 2022 Masters.
"I didn't hit it the way I wanted to but to go round in 2-under par is a good job," said Scheffler, who will move back to World No.1 as things stand.
LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau, who led after 18 holes, carded a 71 to fall back to 3-under par alongside Justin Suh (68).
But it was LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka who made the biggest move on day two as he surged through the field late into his back nine to move to 2-under par for the championship.
Koepka wrapped up a stellar round of 66 with birdies on 17 and 18 to give himself every chance of capturing a third Wanamaker Trophy and fifth major title.
The former World No.1 joins England's little-known Callum Tarren (67) on 2-under par.
Tarren came into this week off the back of missing nine of the last 10 cuts on the PGA Tour.
Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy birdied the final hole to get himself back to level par and just five strokes off the pace.
McIlroy called himself a "f***ing p*ssy" after his tee shot on the 14th.
But it would lead to a birdie as McIlroy went on to card a 69.
Ireland's Shane Lowry had progressed nicely to 2-under par but he bogeyed the final two holes to fall back to level par alongside McIlroy.
Jon Rahm also fired an F-bomb during his second round as he narrowly played his way into the weekend.
Rahm carded an improved 68 to move to 4-over par alongside LIV Golf's Cameron Smith and Poland's Adrian Meronk, who made four birdies on the back nine to make the weekend.
Meronk was also playing alongside European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, which will have done his hopes of a pick later this year no harm.
LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson made the cut on the number at 5-over par, the same score as Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Tyrrell Hatton, who was another to fire an expletive down the mic on day two.
Last week's winner Jason Day and reigning US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick were the two biggest names to miss the cut.
The third round is set for some rain and plenty of wind with gusts up to 25mph.
US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP R2 LEADERBOARD
-5 S Scheffler (US), C Conners (Can), V Hovland (Nor)
-3 B DeChambeau, J Suh (US)
-2 B Koepka (US), C Tarren (Eng)
Selected others:
Par R McIlroy (NI)
+1 D Johnson, P Cantlay, C Morikawa (US)
+4 J Rahm (Spa), C Smith (Aus)
+5 J Spieth, J Thomas, P Mickelson (US)
Andy first joined the brand on a month's work experience back in April 2011, and he now assumes the Editor role. When Andy joined GolfMagic it was a small site with potential.
