PGA Championship LIVE: Xander Schauffele leads after Scottie Scheffler plays on despite arrest
The Masters champion described his arrest at Valhalla Golf Club as a ‘big misunderstanding’ as he returned to the course to continue the tournament
Xander Schauffele maintained a slender lead at the halfway stage of the PGA Championship after a day dominated by the chaotic arrest of Scottie Scheffler in the early hours of Friday morning at Valhalla.
The American had been attempting to make his way to the course ahead of the start of the second round, but was stopped by police over what he later called “a big misunderstanding”.
Scheffler was placed in handcuffs and arrested, before being charged by the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections, with the second round pushed back by an hour and 20 minutes due to the fatal accident.
The 27-year-old was later released by police and produced a sparkling five-under-par 66 to remain in contention for his second major in as many months. The World No.1 sits three shots back of Schauffele who fired a three-under 69 to set the clubhouse lead at -12.
Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa and fellow American Sahith Theegala sit in contention at -11 and -10 respectively but Rory McIlroy’s bid to end his decade-long major drought stuttered after a disappointing even-par round.
Relive all the action from the second round of the PGA Championship below:
Play suspended
Darkness has called a halt to the second-round action at the PGA Championship, meaning many will have to come back tomorrow morning to finish off their rounds.
DeChambeau, though, quickly wraps up his final hole with a par to get in the clubhouse at -9. A superb six-under-par 65 from the LIV Golfer who is not one to ignore this weekend.
Bogey-bogey finish for MacIntyre
MacIntyre -7 (69)
A real kicker of a finish for the only Scot in the field as he finishes with two bogeys to drop out of the top ten. It’s a heavy-handed putt from a downhill lie which races past the hole and he’s unable to make the putt back up the slope to save par.
Still, a productive day and he’s still on course for a great finish heading into the weekend.
Theegala in contention
Theegala -10 (67), Finau -8 (69)
A wild tee shot from Theegala thwarts his efforts of a closing birdie but it’s been a superb round from the American who is right in the thick of it. Finau, meanwhile, showcases some great short-game touch to enable him to finish with a birdie and move back up to -8.
A topsy-turvy round for him but don’t count him out just yet.
Koepka finishes with a birdie
Koepka -7 (68)
A topsy-turvy round comes to and end with a birdie at the last for Koepka. It could have been so much better for the defending champion, but a slew of short missed putts means he has to settle for a three-under-par 68 which leaves him five shots off Schauffele at the top of the leaderboard.
Late bogey for MacIntyre
MacIntyre -8 (17*)
The Scot is trying to hang on down this closing stretch but is making life difficult for himself. He’s wildly out of position on the seventh hole but somehow gets up and down from the thick rough to save his par.
He can’t prevent a dropped shot at the next hole, though, and he drops back to -8 as he heads him his last.
Hovland showing signs of life
Hovland -8 (66)
A birdie at the last for Hovland and it’s an incredibly encouraging second-round display from the Norwegian who has vaulted himself into contention after such a disappointing start to the season.
Back-to-back bogeys for Koepka
Koepka -6 (17)
The defending champions’ woes with the putter continue. A bogey on 16 is compounded by another on 17, the latter courtesy of a terrible short miss.
On another day, Koepka could have fired a six-under-par round and be right in the thick of it, but his putting has let him down big time. He’d love a birdie at the last.
Birdie finish for Rory
McIlroy -5 (71)
Like Woods, McIlroy finishes with a birdie at the par-5 18th. It’s a nice ending to what has otherwise been a thoroughly frustrating day for the Northern Irishman.
A level-par 71 is fine, but in the contest of this PGA Championship, where the scores are low, it’s a massive backward step. He’ll likely start tomorrow seven shots back of the lead and in need of an incredible weekend display if he’s to end his major drought at Valhalla.
Woods ends with a birdie
Woods +7 (77)
Not the week Tiger had in mind but the 15-time major champion at least gives the fans something to cheer about at the last, whisking up some short-game magic from the rough before knocking in a birdie putt at the last.
It’s a six-over-par 77 but the damage was done in the first few holes on Friday when the American went seven over par through his first four holes. Who knows what the future holds for him now, but the fans in Louisville certainly enjoyed seeing him out here this week.
Not happening for McIlroy as Wallace finishes strong
McIlroy -4 (17), Wallace -7 (65)
Just like Schauffele, McIlroy has just not holed a putt in these closing stages. An eagle almost feels like a must at this par-5 18th if he’s to have any chance in this tournament heading into the weekend. Even then, it feels unlikely.
One person who has got himself into a great spot is England’s Matt Wallace who rounds off his round with a par on the ninth. A six-under-par 65 has him sitting pretty heading into the weekend.
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