Zalatoris seizes one-shot PGA lead

TULSA – American Will Zalatoris fired a bogey-free five-under-par 65 to seize a one-stroke lead after Friday’s second round of the PGA Championship while Tiger Woods battled his way into the weekend.

Aided when gusting winds vanished in the afternoon at daunting Southern Hills, late-starter Zalatoris reeled off three back-nine birdies in a row and sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the 17th to finish 36 holes at Southern Hills on 9-under-par 131.

“I had the luck of the draw. There wasn’t any wind after the 11th hole,” Zalatoris said. “I made the most of it with some good shotmaking.”

That enabled 30th-ranked Zalatoris, last year’s Masters runner-up and the 2021 US PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, to grab a one-stroke lead over Chile’s Mito Pereira, who fired a 64 to stand second on 132.

“I guess shooting six-under wasn’t really the expectation, but here we are,” the 27-year-old from Santiago said. “Not going to change anything.”

Woods, fighting back after severe leg injuries in a car crash 15 months ago, overcame a double bogey at the par-3 11th with birdies at the par-5 13th and par-4 16th to shoot 69 and make the weekend on 3-over 143.

“I had to grind and go to work and I did and I made it,” Woods said. “It wasn’t pretty. I had to fight back. I’m not able to move like I did.”

The most beautiful shotmaking came from two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson, who matched the course record with a seven-under par 63 that included nine birdies, his most in any major round.

“It’s very nice. Don’t get me wrong. It’s an honor to be able to shoot 63 on any golf course. I’ll take it,” Watson said. “But I’ve got to look forward to tomorrow and see where I’m at and hit hopefully just as quality shots as I did today.”

Watson was fourth on 135, one stroke behind 2017 PGA winner Justin Thomas, who played in the most brutal of winds, and one stroke ahead of Rory McIlroy, the 18-hole leader who battled to a 71 to share fifth on 136 with American Davis Riley and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer.

“There’s a long way to go,” said McIlroy, expecting a change in wind direction for the weekend. “We’re going to see a completely different course. Everyone is going to have to adapt.”

Watson only missed matching the all-time low major round of 62 when he missed a 23-foot birdie putt at the 18.

“I gave it a chance,” Watson said. “But I didn’t want to three-putt so I didn’t give it too much of a chance.”

Zalatoris, who has four top-10 finishes in seven major starts, began his birdie blitz at the par-3 11th and made every putt he had inside 10 feet.

“Kept the momentum going with some good putts,” he said. “Really pleased.”

World number 100 Pereira, who missed the cut at the 2019 US Open in his only prior major start, took full advange of diminished afternoon wind to make seven birdies against a lone bogey.

“It was lucky to get that draw,” Pereira said. “I’ve had good days and bad days but everything I’ve experiencd has helped me to get here and play good golf,” Pereira said.

American Thomas fired a second consecutive 67.

“Very pleased,” Thomas said. “I stayed very patient... and I’m glad to have a good round to show for it.”