Shane Lowry was among a host of European stars whose aspirations dimmed on the second day of the US PGA Championship, as Scottie Scheffler battled fiercely at Aronimink Golf Club. Ireland's Lowry began just one shot off the lead, but a disastrous six-over round of 76 means he is likely to miss the cut, joining Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre, who carded rounds of 73 and 75 respectively.
Scheffler's Struggles and Recovery
World number one Scheffler encountered difficulties off the tee, slipping from the top of the leaderboard after three early bogeys. However, he mounted a strong recovery after the turn, as the morning starters failed to extend the lead beyond three under par. Rory McIlroy's pursuit of a seventh major title began poorly with a four-over opening round, meaning his immediate goal is also to make the cut for the weekend. He starts his round at 2.05pm local time (7.05pm BST).
Lowry's Dismal Round
Lowry's round started with a bogey at the 10th and deteriorated from there. He inexplicably found the water off the tee at the 17th, resulting in a double bogey, and added three more bogeys on his back nine. Fleetwood has failed to find his rhythm at Aronimink, with three bogeys on his front nine extinguishing any hopes.
Defending Champion's Battle
Defending champion Scheffler was the prominent name in a seven-way tie for the lead—the first time he has led after an opening round in a major—as the second day began in south-west Philadelphia. German Martin Kaymer, aiming to recapture major glory 12 years after his last of two successes, was part of that group but five bogeys in his first seven holes quickly ended his challenge.
Scheffler started on the back nine alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose, both at level par. It was a tough start for the group, as Rose double-bogeyed the opener after needing two attempts to escape a fairway bunker, while Scheffler and Fitzpatrick both began with dropped shots. Rose responded with a birdie at the 12th, but Scheffler faltered with back-to-back bogeys at the 12th and 13th.
The European duo endured a double-bogey nightmare on the long par-3 14th: Fitzpatrick required four putts, while Rose paid the price for a miscued chip, slumping to five over. Scheffler returned to red numbers after a stunning tee shot at the 17th left him with a tap-in birdie, and a birdie on the 16th pulled Rose back to four under.
Former US Open champion Fitzpatrick, one of the world's most in-form players with three PGA Tour wins this season, struggled to contend at Augusta last month and cut a dejected figure as more major hopes evaporated. The Sheffield star swapped a beanie hat for a cap and reached the turn at one over after back-to-back birdies, before another at the first had him on the charge.
It took Scheffler until the 18th—his ninth hole—to find a fairway, as players battled breezy conditions and a course that posed a major challenge. A hole behind, American Alex Smalley, who was among the tie at the top after day one, nudged the lead to five under with birdies on the 16th and 18th. That lasted just one hole, as three consecutive bogeys brought him crashing back to earth.
Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama's 67 matched the best round of the championship, moving him into a share of the clubhouse lead at three under.
