Mickelson, Oosthuizen Tied for PGA Lead at 5 Under Par
Saturday, May 22, 2021

    Phil Mickelson - finishing early in the day - added a second-round 3-under-par 69 to his opening 70 at the PGA Championship on Kiawah Island, S. C. yesterday, and his 5-under 139 held up until dusk, although several times during the day he had dropped one stroke behind. But such as Louis Oosthuizen and Brooks Koepka were unable to sustain their mastery over the Ocean Course; Oosthuizen (71-68) fell back into a deadlock with Mickelson, while the long-hitting Koepka (69-71-140) will begin today one stroke behind. 

    Strong winds off the Atlantic took their toll on the field, and the cut line came at 5 over, an unusually high number for any PGA event. Among the casualties at +6 were Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas. Zach Johnson bowed out at +8, Matt Kuchar at +10 and Charl Schwartzel at + 11. Among winners of the event from long ago to miss the cut were John Daly (1991, +27), Rich Beem (2002, +7) and Shaun Micheel (2003, +17). Mickelson was the 2005 winner, during a year in which he won four of his 44 career titles.   

    Aside from Koepka, the other Seminole, Daniel Berger, made a huge turn-around and snuck in at +4 (79-69-148). Both Gators made it, too, Brian Gay at +4 (77-71-148) and Billy Horschel at +5 (77-72-149). A trio of players followed Koepka in a tie for fourth at 3 under - Branden Grace, Hideki Matsuyama, and the headline writer's nightmare, Christiaan Bezuidenhout. 

    Only 18 players broke par, and there are 19 tied for 63rd, slipping in at the +5 cut line. 

     

       

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