Resurgent Americans in the ascendant
Woodland leads after second-round 66 Koepka and Schwartzel hit 63s as Europeans toil
What Open Championship? Having seen their winning major streak ended at Carnoustie three weeks ago, the Americans were back to feeling all dominant again as they monopolised the early leaderboard on the second day of the 100th US PGA.
While Francesco Molinari, the Italian hero of the Angus links who stopped the United States run at five in a row, was in the top 10 in the clubhouse on five under following a second-round 67, he could not hold back the Stars and Stripes tide that threatens to engulf the Europeans.
Gary Woodland led the way after a 66 took him to 10 under. With Bellerive a par 70, nobody in the history of the major has taken so few shots – 130 – over the first two rounds. Indeed, records were in danger everywhere.
On nine under, Kevin Kisner came to the last needing a birdie to become the first player in the USPGA and the second in any major to shoot 62. Instead, he bogeyed. But then, Brooks Koepka, the US Open champion, had an 18-footer to match Branden Grace’s 62 at Birkdale last year.
Koepka missed, but with a 63 tied the lowest round at the USPGA (a feat South African Charl Schwartzel was later to emulate). On eightunder, Koepka is looming menacingly. So, too, is his best hombre. Dustin Johnson played like the world No1 he is by reeling off five birdies in six holes from the third (having started on the 10th) for a 66 and a seven-under total.
Johnson’s birdie charge was triggered in bizarre style. He was in the middle of his backswing on the third tee when a ball sliced wildly by Spain’s Jorge Campillo from the 11th tee landed a few yards behind him. Johnson turned and delivered a death stare, but in a few seconds was flashing a wry grin when he realised his tee-shot had come to rest within 11 feet of the pin. “I made birdie, so it’s all OK,” Johnson said. “I’m in a good position and it would mean a lot. I’m definitely wanting that second major.”
This layout in this condition is made for Johnson. It is target golf and Thomas Bjorn, the Europe captain, will know when setting up Le Golf National for next month’s Ryder Cup that if you give these Americans wide fairways and soft greens, they will cause mayhem on the dartboard. A strategist’s paradise it is not. “It’s pretty straightforward,” Johnson said. “You hit it in the fairway and then hit it on the green.”
Of course, they then have to convert the putts and that is the difference with Woodland this week. There has never been any questioning the quality of the 34-year-old’s ball-striking. The bulky Kansas man is one of the longest out there. But when it comes to the greens his form is probably best exemplified in the stat that says before this week he had holed only five putts all year in the 20ft-25ft range.
Well, he has been rolling them in from everywhere, including on the eighth, where he holed from 24 feet. And the reason for this transformation can be located in Southport, Lancashire.
Woodland, the world No44, was so despondent with his flat stick at Carnoustie that he asked Phil Kenyon for help. The English putting guru, who is based on Merseyside, enjoyed quite the four days at the Angus links where one of his clients, Molinari, won and another, Justin Rose, finished in a tie for second.
Kenyon also oversees Tommy Fleetwood and Henrik Stenson and used to assist Rory Mcilroy. The Ulsterman might wonder if he was perhaps a tad rash in dispensing with Kenyon’s services earlier this year, particularly after witnessing Woodland’s turnaround.
“I’ve played a lot of golf with Frankie [Molinari] and it was awesome to see him at the Open,” Woodward said. “It’s been nice to get some work in with Phil. For me as a whole, the putting was kind of the last piece of the puzzle.”
A win would not only hand Woodland his first major title and the $2 million (£1.6 million) first prize but also a Ryder Cup debut. Kisner could crack the automatic eight in the US qualifying race which ends tomorrow night with a top five and as he finished in that tie for second at the Open and, indeed, led in this event for three rounds 12 months ago, that should be the very least of his ambitions. Yes, the US challenge is remarkably strong.
But Belgium’s Thomas Pieters is on the scene after a 66 to sit alongside Johnson and Schwartzel. And two further back is not only Molinari but the young Spaniard Jon Rahm, after a 67. Justin Rose is on four under after a 69.
Later, Rickie Fowler reached seven under with eight holes remaining when thunderstorms brought a premature end to the day. Tiger Woods had advanced from level par to three under after seven holes but playing partner Mcilroy seemed rooted to level par with seven pars to start.