Jon Rahm (68) reacts, avoids KO at PGA and continues to stay away from lead

much suffering for Jon Rahm, world number 1 and current champion of the Augusta Mastersin second day of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill CC in Rochester (NY)but in the end it was worth it. Barrika’s has no margin for error to be able to compete at the weekend in the second ‘major’ 2023 after compromising, and many, on Thursday his aspirations of victory. A card of 68 strokes for 144 (+4) kept him in the tournament facing the final 36 holes, where anything can happen.

In the lead, an immeasurable and unbreakable discouragement Scottie Scheffler, No. 2 in the world, with a second card of 68 hits for 135 (-5), leading the home club. And that he closed his performance with a bogey in the 18th minute gave his rivals a breather. A few minutes later the Canadian entered Corey Conners (68) with the same total number of five under par. And half an hour later the Norwegian Victor Hovland He completed the three leaders with a birdie at 18, 67 shots and 135.

The leader after the first day, Bryson DeChambeauhe recovered from a poor first 9 holes with three birdies in the seconds, although an oversight on the 18th left him with a bogey for 137, tied for fourth in a surprising justintwo strokes behind the trio of leaders.

In great spirits, Jon reviewed the 76 shots of the first round in the mixed zone, and with a better predisposition and more mental control if possible, the Basque came out to play in the second round this Friday in this field that proves that it’s tough for all players and that the rain has slowed the greens down a bit, but the rough is still scary and you have to put the ball into the fairway off the tee over and over again.

The truth is that Rahm, tied for 4th in 2018 for the best result at the PGA, once again had a good start to the day, with three clear birdie opportunities in the first three holes, but he took advantage of only one. on hole 2. He was splitting the fairways and attacking the flags very well, but the putt does not quite accommodate in the start of the second day. A miscalculation did not allow him to have a new choice on par 5, hole 4, and on 6 and 8, especially the latter tar a shot from the rough, the ball continued unwillingly enter the pot. It passes through the equator -1 during the day and +5 across, including the cut limit. At stake is a streak of 14 cuts in the majors, the longest by an active player.

Jon had a critical moment with a bogey on the 12th hole, but he recovered that blow on the 14th, another par 5 on the course, with a restorative birdie to bring him back to +5 overall, just inside cut. Holes 13, 14 and 15, this Friday is easy to recover, and breathe a little. Rahm knew this, and after birdie-4, birdie-3 came on the 14th, reaching +4 and releasing a bit of pressure, he also putt for birdie-2 on the 15th, third next shot. on the green putting the ball two meters and a little more from the hole.

There are three holes left to finish avoiding the KO. There was suspense with a bogey-5 on 16, he licked the ball on the hole on 17 for birdie and on 18 he had a long shot but again the ball went through the hole, closing in the aforementioned 68 strokes and 144 in total, 9 of the leaders in the clubhouse. Position 49 and return 65 places, tied with Pablo Larrazabal.

In tomorrow’s session, only eight players fell below and the best lap was Patrick Cantlay’s 67 (-3). Then there were three cards of 68 and four of 69. And at home club there were only two players under par and both at -1, Canadian Taylor Pendrith and Englishman Justin Rose. They were the leaders who finished the lap.

A good number of players did not get a profit in the morning, difficult in the wind, but not impossible. Among them are Justin Rose (-1), who reached four under par, Dustin Johnson (+1), who finished with double bogey and bogeyed two of his last four holes, Adam Scott (+2), Max Homa (+ 3), Patrick Reed (+3), Tommy Fleetwood (+3) or Tony Finau (+5). They didn’t finish the start and put another gear change on the table. The ones coming from behind shine, in the case of Patrick Cantlay (+1), who went into the match. In fact, the North American reached the final hole with a -4 before ending up with a bogey.

In the afternoon, 69 on the double PGA champions Rory McIlroy for 140 and 66, best lap of the day, for Brooks Koepkaand 138 while Justin Thomasdefending champion, barely missed the +5 total. Jordan Spieth He had to make a putt nearly 4 meters to save par on 18, signing 72 shots and totaling 145, the cut limit.

The other two Spaniards present at Rochester were left, Adri Arnaus and Adrian Otaegui. The Catalan had a three-meter putt on the final hole to reach +5 but stayed in the attempt. A shame.

PGA Championship

Sorting on day 2

1. Corey Conners (CAN) -5 (67-68)
. Viktor Hovland (NOR) -5 (68-67)
. Scottie Scheffler (USA) -5 (67-68)
4. Bryson DeChambeau (USA) -3 (66-71)
. Justin Suh (USA) -3 (69-68)
6. Brooks Koepka (USA) -2 (72-66)
. Callum Tarren (ENG) -2 (71-67)
8. Taylor Pendrith (CAN) -1 (70-69)
. Justin Rose (ENG) -1 (69-70)
10. Michael Block (USA) 0 (70-70)
. Keegan Bradley (USA) 0 (68-72)
. Min Woo Lee (AUS) 0 (73-67)
. Shane Lowry (IRL) 0 (73-67)
. Rory McIlroy (NIR) 0 (71-69)
. Keith Mitchell (USA) 0 (69-71)
. Matthew NeSmith (USA) 0 (70-70)
. Sepp Straka (AUT) 0 (69-71)
. Adam Svensson (CAN) 0 (70-70)
…
19. Patrick Cantlay (USA) 1 (74-67)
. Dustin Johnson (USA) 1 (67-74)
. Colin Morikawa (USA) 1 (71-70)
35. Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 3 (72-71)
. Padraig Harrington (IRL) 3 (72-71)
. Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 3 (72-71)
. Patrick Reed (USA) 3 (72-71)
48. Jon Rahm (ESP) 4 (76-68)
. Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 4 (69-75)
. Xander Schauffele (USA) 4 (72-72)
. Cameron Smith (AU) 4 (72-72)
59. Phil Mickelson (USA) 5 (73-72)
. Jordan Spieth (USA) 5 (73-72)
. Justin Thomas (USA) 5 (72-73)

They didn’t make the cut

Adri Arnaus (ESP) 6 (76-70)
Billy Horschel (USA) 6 (71-75)
Adrian Otaegui (ESP) 8 (75-73)
Jason Day (AUS) 8 (76-72)
Im Sung Jae (KOR) 13 (80-73)