Scheffler shares lead with Hovland, Conners after 36 holes at Oak Hill
Scottie Scheffler again holds a familiar place atop the leaderboard at a major championship, as the World No. 2 shares the PGA Championship lead with Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners after two rounds at Oak Hill.
Scheffler scattered four birdies against two bogeys to reach 5-under for the event, only to be matched by Hovland and Conners as rain fell during the afternoon in Rochester.
The trio sits two shots ahead of first-round leader Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Suh headed to the weekend.
| Place | Player | Total to par | Round 2 score |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-1 | Scottie Scheffler | -5 | 68 |
| T-1 | Corey Conners | -5 | 68 |
| T-1 | Viktor Hovland | -5 | 67 |
| T-4 | Bryson DeChambeau | -3 | 71 |
| T-4 | Justin Suh | -3 | 68 |
| T-6 | Callum Tarren | -2 | 67 |
| T-6 | Brooks Koepka | -2 | 66 |
| T-8 | Taylor Pendrith | -1 | 69 |
| T-8 | Justin Rose | -1 | 70 |
Scheffler and Conners traded blows in the afternoon wave, finishing with matching scores for the second straight day - this time 2-under 68s. The 2022 Masters champion's all-around game continues to impress as he's gained strokes in all categories through 36 holes.
Conners' ball-striking prowess is well-known, but his usual struggles on the greens have gone by the wayside this week as the Canadian has thrived with the putter. The two-time TOUR winner sits fifth in the event in strokes gained: putting - a remarkable number considering he entered the week ranked 134th on the circuit in the statistic. Whether Conners can keep that rolling on the weekend will likely go a long way in determining whether he can become the second Canadian male ever to win a major.
Hovland, who found himself in one of the later groups of the day, poured in four birdies for the round, including finishing with one on No. 18 to grab a share of the lead. The Norwegian is putting on a clinic with his irons again, ranking first in the field in strokes gained: approach by over a shot from the next closest player.
DeChambeau battled hard despite not having his best game. However, he couldn't avoid a bogey on the final hole to fall from solo fourth into a tie with Suh.
The round of the day belonged to Brooks Koepka. The four-time major winner birdied three of his final four holes to shoot a 4-under 66 and vault into a tie for sixth. That puts him two strokes ahead of Rory McIlroy, who has hit just 7-of-28 fairways through two rounds but somehow finds himself at even par.
The forecast calls for rain Saturday before a day of sunshine is expected to roll into Rochester for the closing round.