STROUD MAKES RUN AT MATSUYAMA, KISNER
Charlotte, Aug. 12: Chris Stroud sank an 11-foot birdie putt at the par-5 seventh hole to move within two strokes of co-leaders Hideki Matsuyama and Kevin Kisner as the second round of the PGA Championship concluded Saturday morning.
The 35-year-old American was among 25 players unable to finish the second round Friday at Quail Hollow because of a thunderstorm delay, the backnine starter closing with four pars and the birdie to fire a second-round 68, three-under par.
Third-ranked Matsuyama, trying to become the first Japanese man to win a major title, and 25th-ranked American Kisner, who won his second US tour title in May at Colonial, still shared the second-round lead on eight-under par 134.
Stroud, the final qualifier for the PGA after winning a US tour event last week, matched Australia’s seventh-ranked Jason Day for third on 136 with his early morning effort.
Stroud, ranked 203rd, resumed in the greenside rough at the par-4 fifth hole, chipped to seven feet and sank the par putt. He missed the green at the par3 sixth but chipped to three feet and parred again.
After his birdie at seven, Stroud gave himself a 10foot birdie putt at the par-4 eighth but missed and tapped in for par, then closed with another tap-in par at nine.
At stake in the year’s final major tournament is the Wanamaker trophy and a top prize of $1.89 million (1.59 million euros).
Day raced to a 66 on Friday, completing his round just before darkness fell. Day, who won the 2015 PGA and finished second last year, sees Matsuyama as a major threat.
Italy’s Francesco Molinari and South African Louis Oosthuizen shared fifth on 137, three strokes off the pace, with England’s Paul Casey and Americans Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas sharing seventh on 139.
Fourth-ranked Rory McIlroy shared 29th on 144, 10 strokes adrift but hopeful of a weekend fightback.
World number two Jordan Spieth, who captured his third career major at last month’s British Open, shared 44th on 145, 11 strokes off the pace, and figures his chances to become the youngest to complete a career Grand Slam this week are over.