Will Zalatoris leads the PGA Championship

Will Zalatoris took advantage of calmer afternoon conditions to shoot a five-under 65 to lead the US PGA Championship by one shot heading into the weekend. The American sits on nine-under-par one shot ahead of Mito Pereira of Chile, who carded a four-under 66.

Bubba Watson was another to take advantage of the favourable afternoon draw shooting nine birdies in his seven-under 63. The former Masters champion sits four back from Zalatoris in fourth, a shot behind Justin Thomas.
Thomas produced the round of the day, managing winds that gusted up to 30 mph in the morning to post an impressive three-under 67. Of the twenty-odd players under par heading into Saturday, only five came from the more challenging side of the draw.
Thomas, who won the event in 2017, grabbed the clubhouse lead on six-under just as the wind started to drop and the course offered up birdies.
25-year-old Zalatoris quickly acknowledged that he had been fortunate with the draw.
"We lucked out with the draw, for sure," he said. "I played the last eight holes with not much wind. But take it when you can get it."
Rory McIlroy was another on the favourable side of the draw but he failed to take advantage of the easier conditions carding a one-over 71. His round included one solitary birdie at the 13th and he scrambled over the final holes to keep himself in contention.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods who was playing alongside McIlroy, fought back after a disappointing opening round to shoot a three-under 67 to make the cut. Woods had looked like he was on his way out of the event when he double-bogeyed the 11th but in true Woods style, he dug deep to find two birdies in the closing stages.
"You can't win the tournament if you miss the cut," said Woods. "Hopefully, I can get a hot weekend and you never know."
Casualties of the more brutal morning conditions were former world number one Dustin Johnson and Masters champion Scottie Scheffler who missed the cut by two shots on six-over. Scheffler's misery was made complete with a double-bogey on his final hole.