The stage is set for an incredible weekend at the PGA Championship.
Phil Mickelson co-leads alongside Louis Oosthuizen, as he tries to become the oldest major championship winner ever with four-time major winner Brooks Koepka breathing down his neck.
With only 36 holes remaining, it's time to take a look at which golfers at the top of the leaderboard are true contenders, and who's expected to have trouble with the brutal Ocean Course at Kiawah Island over the weekend.
Contenders
Brooks Koepka (4-under)
Sitting one shot off the lead, Koepka is the betting favorite to win his third PGA Championship.
The 31-year-old made two eagles on Friday get himself into a share of the lead at 6-under. However, he surrendered two bogeys on the tough closing holes to drop into solo third.
Still, Koepka is hitting the ball very well to lead the field in strokes gained: tee-to-green. Additionally, he's showing no signs that his knee issue is affecting his game, which should worry the rest of the field.
Louis Oosthuizen (5-under)
The sweet-swinging South African finds himself in the thick of things at another major championship. Oosthuizen has finished as the runner-up in all four majors to go along with his 2010 Open win at St. Andrews.
There's no reason to believe he'll go away, either. He ranks ninth in strokes gained: tee-to-green and 10th in putting, making him the most complete player among the contenders after two rounds.
If Oosthuizen can pull off the victory, it will be only his second PGA TOUR win - both majors - and first victory on North American soil.
Hideki Matsuyama (3-under)
The reigning Masters winner is showing no signs of a major championship hangover.
Matsuyama is putting on a ball-striking clinic at Kiawah Island. He ranks third in the field tee-to-green after a magnificent 68 on Friday. The 29-year-old is even more intriguing as a contender due to the fact he's actually losing strokes on the greens. If his putter heats up at all, there's a real possibility Matsuyama wins back-to-back majors.
Bryson DeChambeau (1-under)
DeChambeau bogeyed his final hole Friday to drop four shots off the lead, but you can never count out the 2020 U.S. Open champion. He ranks fourth in strokes gained: tee-to-green while sitting outside the top 120 in putting.
But DeChambeau is an incredible putter, so you expect him to rebound in that area. If he can keep hitting it the same way and hole some putts in the wind, DeChambeau is primed to make a run on the weekend.
Pretenders
Branden Grace (3-under)
Yes, Grace owns the record for the lowest round in major championship history (62) and has a victory in his last six starts, but his performance this week has been a bit of a mirage.
The 33-year-old has done all of his damage around the greens, gaining nearly five strokes with a wedge in his hand. He's added another three strokes on the greens and been relatively average in the ball-striking categories. It's tough to envision this type of play continuing through two tough weekend rounds. One bad tee or approach shot could easily mark the end of Grace's week.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (3-under)
We're not trying to pick on South Africans, but Bezuidenhout falls under the same category as his previously mentioned countryman. Bezuidenhout has gained over eight strokes with his putter while gaining just over one shot tee-to-green. The 27-year-old is among the best putters in the world, but it'd be a mighty tall order for him to gain another eight strokes with his flatstick when the pressure gets cranked up over the weekend.
Phil Mickelson (5-under)
Sorry, Lefty fans - the truth hurts.
Mickelson becoming the oldest major champion ever at 50 years old would be one of the most unbelievable stories in the history of the game. But there's a reason players who are eligible for the senior circuit don't win majors.
The next two days are going to be a mental and physical grind for Mickelson. Kiawah Island will consume every ounce of energy he has, and, unfortunately, the younger crop of players will simply outlast the Hall of Famer.
