Storm suspends 2nd-round play at PGA Championship

There are many favourites to win the title, namely Spieth, McIlroy and Dustin Johnson. The second round of the PGA Championship had just about everything Friday. “We’ll just have to see what happens”. “It’s only the first round”.

“I played really well and hit a lot of quality shots”.

Round 1 was a draw.

Back in tournament mode after almost two months out because of an ankle injury, the Northern Irish world number one stayed on the fringe of contention at Whistling Straits with a second successive one-under-par 71 in receptive conditions on Friday. But it was a big one.

It was here in 2010, of course, that he grounded his club on scrub at the last after failing to recognise it as a bunker when leading by a stroke.

But for a bogey at the last McIlroy would have had the better of Spieth on his much anticipated return to the game 53 days after he last hit a competitive ball.

Iwata said courses on this side of the Pacific were considerably more challenging because of the long par 4s. But it was fine. I was very happy about that, but under those conditions this morning, three under would have been a good round, but two under is only okay. It gave him momentum as he made the turn in the second round, and was the highlight of a 5-under 67 that put him one shot off the lead.

It was a shot that looked better with every angle. “Obviously, I was pretty nervous on the first tee. It’s not an issue and I’ve got full confidence in it”.

“I’m still not pleased with the way I’m driving the ball at all“.

And then he started to press, and it almost cost him. He three-putted from about 15 feet on the par-5 11th for a bogey. Spieth would also become the first player to eclipse $11 million in earnings in a single season.

The chip came out hot, and Spieth figured it would have gone some 12 feet by the hole.

But it is clear, if nothing else, whose era has passed.

“I’m glad that we are in”, said Day.

“There were some good irons… about four or five mental mistakes I can easily recall”. The wind was easier than yesterday so there are some scores out there to be had. All play in the afternoon, except Scott Piercy.

Defending champion McIlroy and world number two Spieth had been paired together for the opening two rounds, along with Open champion Zach Johnson.

Few could have predicted Iwata – a Japan Golf Tour product – would have been the name on everyone’s lips at Whistling Straits one day after his opening-round 77.

“It did cross my mind, but that was it”, Lingmerth said.

He’s tied with Johnson and Lingmerth.

He already has six straight rounds over par in the majors, which he has only done once before. He had the 36-hole lead at St. Andrews until he disappeared on the weekend. “But I was swinging well and I was hitting the shots where I was looking”.

“There’s less shots you’ve got to make up”. You’re going to have to have more of a short game to be able to salvage par sometimes. It is a tough shot today with that wind.