Zalatoris And Pereira Charge Into Share Of PGA Lead

(@FahadShabbir)

Zalatoris and Pereira charge into share of PGA lead

Tulsa, United States, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2022 ) :American Will Zalatoris reeled off three consecutive back-nine birdies to seize the lead alongside Chile's Mito Pereira in Friday's second round of the PGA Championship while Tiger Woods battled to make the cut.

World number 30 Zalatoris, last year's Masters runner-up and the 2021 US PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, and Pereira, in only his second major start, made four birdies in a six-hole stretch to leave both on 8-under par at Southern Hills.

They enjoyed a two-shot edge over US clubhouse leader Justin Thomas, the 2017 PGA Championship winner who fired a second consecutive three-under par 67 to stand on six-under 134 for 36 holes.

Zalatoris, with four top-10 finishes in seven major starts and a 66 on Thursday, dropped his approach at the first hole inches from the cup and tapped in for birdie, then made nine pars in a row before the birdie run that put him in the lead.

The 25-year-old American put his tee shot to five feet at the par-3 11th and made the birdie putt, then left his approach at the par-4 12th just outside seven feet from the cup and made that birdie putt.

He followed with a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-5 13th to complete his run and sit atop the leaderboard.

Pereira, a back-nine starter who shot 68 on Thursday, began with back-to-back birdies, took a bogey at 12 but answered with a birdie at 16 -- his longest birdie putt at just inside 22 feet -- then birdied the second, fourth, par-5 fifth and seventh holes.

Woods, the 15-time major winner in his second comeback event from severe leg injuries, fired a 74 on Thursday and stood on 4-over for the tournament after 15 holes, right on the cut line.

A huge crowd watched him play alongside Rory McIlroy, who led after 18 holes with an opening 65, and Jordan Spieth, trying to complete a career Grand Slam.

Woods made a five-foot birdie putt at the par-5 fifth and a bogey at the par-3 eighth, then began the back nine with a 10-foot birdie putt.

But Woods had a double-bogey disaster at the par-3 11th, going over the green into rough, then into a greenside bunker, then blasting out to eight feet and missing his bogey putt.

The 46-year-old star responded at the par-5 13th by sinking an eight-foot birdie putt to lift himself back onto the cut line, two following pars letting the drama build.

Ninth-ranked Thomas, the 2017 PGA champion, sank a nine-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole, his last of the day, to take the clubhouse lead.

"Very pleased," Thomas said. "I played really well today. The conditions were obviously very difficult. I stayed very patient, tried to get in my own little world and get in a zone and just tried to execute each shot the best I could.

"I felt we did a great job of that and I'm glad to have a good round to show for it."Thomas matched his best 36-hole major start from the 2018 PGA.

Four-time major winner McIlroy was one-over after 15 holes. Spieth was at 1-over overall and 1-under for the round after 15 holes.