Wind relents, Zalatoris leads
The wind finally relented Friday in the PGA Championship. Will Zalatoris never did.
Zalatoris kept hitting the ball on the button at Southern Hills and took advantage of gentler conditions late in the afternoon for a 4-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Mito Pereira.
The weekend will include Tiger Woods in his second straight major. Playing on a battered leg from his crash 15 months ago, Woods was outside the cut line after a double bogey on the par-3 11th. He played the final seven holes with two birdies and a pair of 15-foot par saves for a 69 to make it with one shot to spare. But he’s 12 shots behind Zalatoris.
Bubba Watson had a shot at the first 62 in PGA Championship history. He missed from just inside 25 feet on the 18th and had to settle for the 18th round of 63 in this major, and the third at Southern Hills. He joined Woods (2007) and Raymond Floyd (1982).
Justin Thomas shot another 67 amid heavy wind and is three shots back, with Watson right behind. Rory Mcilroy had a 71 that left him five back. The weekend will not include Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, who finished with a double bogey for a 75 to miss the cut — 4-over par — by two.
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