Check in to GOLF’s Tour Confidential every Sunday night for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport. This week, with the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club, we’ll hit one key topic every night.
It’s been a wacky 36 holes at the PGA Championship, with a ton of stars heading home, an unexpected leader and a World No. 1 still lurking. What’s been the biggest surprise at the halfway point at Quail Hollow?
James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): The lack of top-15 players within striking distance of the lead. A week ago, I would’ve bet a month’s salary that this leaderboard consisted of Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Aberg and Justin Thomas. The latter two failed to make the cut, and the former two are nine shots out of it. This was supposed to be a ball-striker’s paradise. What the hell happened?
Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): The overall lack of star power on the first page of the leaderboard is jarring. Only two major champions — Scottie Scheffler and Matthew Fitzpatrick — are in the top 10. The Nos. 5-10 players in the OWGR all missed the cut along with Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Patrick Cantlay and Brooks Koepka. Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele made the cut on the number but won’t be a factor barring a blistering weekend charge. Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa are all lurking, but the leaderboard is lacking major juice after two rounds.
Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): Tough to pick just one! But it has to be Jhonattan Vegas at the top. He’s missed four cuts in his past five events. He’s never finished better than a tie for 22nd at a major. But there he is, up two at the halfway point. His story is great, and his play has matched it.
Josh Sens, senior writer (@JoshSens): What happened to them was golf, an absurdly difficult game to forecast. We were guaranteed that all but the bombers would suffer. But there’s Matt Fitzpatrick up near the top while Aberg and Thomas sit out the weekend. The thing about a leaderboard like this is that it’s likely to contract (do you really envision our current leader Jhonattan Vegas hoisting the trophy on Sunday?), which makes for a potentially exciting Saturday/Sunday. Rory and Xander made the cut on the number, but they’re not out of this one.
Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): How did Justin Thomas not make it to the weekend? Not only was he the hottest player since the Masters with a win and T2 in Signature Events, but I feel like his highlights from around the greens were all over the last two days. Although maybe I just contradicted myself because Thomas had to hit all of those shots from around the greens. Translation: he wasn’t hitting the green. Thomas has come a long way but he’s still not back to his World No. 1 level consistency.
