The second round of the PGA Championship concluded with Aronimink holding firm as a demanding test: the leaders sit at 4-under after 36 holes and a total of 27 players are within four shots of the lead, including seven former major winners, the report says.
Paolo Uggetti wrote that the PGA of America used nearly impossible pin placements, rapid greens and a steady wind to force a defense of the course. The report says pins were tucked on slopes, crowns and edges that produced extreme slide-offs from the Donald Ross greens, and that players were asked to hit long irons into tight circles and precise wedges into small pockets.
The setup produced a tightly bunched leaderboard and a slow pace of play that eclipsed five and a half hours, the report says. Uggetti noted players stopped short of outright complaining but questioned whether the configuration enabled separation, while suggesting the PGA of America and championships officer Kerry Haigh could alter the approach for the remaining rounds.
Mark Schlabach wrote that Scottie Scheffler carded a 1-over 71 on Friday to sit at 2-under after 36 holes. Schlabach’s report says Scheffler had hit all but one fairway in the first round, including each of the opening 12, and gained more than 3.3 strokes on the greens in round one. On Friday, Scheffler missed his first six fairways and carded bogeys on three of the first four holes, per the report.
Uggetti’s coverage framed the weekend as likely to produce the PGA Championship’s familiar, tightly contested finish, and the report says that whoever reaches double digits first could be in position to lift the Wanamaker if the PGA of America maintains a firm setup. The report adds that the cut should help speed play, while noting organizers might soften or stiffen pin locations on Saturday and Sunday.
