The 2003 US Open champion birdied four of his first five holes after play resumed Saturday at the PGA Championship, finishing with a 68 that got him to 6 under and two strokes off the lead. J.B. Holmes (66) is also at 6 under, trailing clubhouse leader Matt Kuchar by two strokes and Nick Watney by one.
“I did what I needed to do today to get myself in position,” Furyk said.
And don’t overlook Tiger Woods.
Woods, trying to hang onto the No. 1 ranking he’s held for more than five years now, had to scramble early just to make the turn at even par. But he settled down with a birdie to start the back nine and finished with a 70 that has him at 3 under for the tournament. It’s the first time Woods was under par in back-to-back rounds since the AT&T National.
His score could have been even better, too. He missed a long birdie putt on 18, hopping up and down when it slipped past the hole. He walked up and tapped it in backhand.
The fog that has wreaked havoc on tee times at the PGA and further muddled what was already a wide-open championship finally lifted Saturday, and the 78 golfers who came back early to finish their second rounds found far more favorable conditions. The wind that had been gusting Friday night was down to a whisper, the humidity was less oppressive and skies were mostly clear.
“Today was pretty much perfect,” Holmes said. “A little bit of breeze, but not much. The greens were good. So it was an opportunity to make some birdies.”
Furyk had birdied No. 9 just before the horn blew Friday night, and picked right back up Saturday morning with a birdie on his first hole. He bogeyed the par-5 11th, picking the wrong target on his second shot and landing in the rough.
But he rebounded with three straight birdies, giving him seven for the round.
“In a stretch of nine holes — over two days,” Furyk said. “The only disappointing part is I played the par-5s one over — three pars and a bogey, which is poor. But the other 14 holes I played beautifully and scored very well.”
Few are playing Whistling Straits with more ease or confidence than Kuchar. He made only two bogeys in his first two rounds, along with eight birdies and an eagle. He nearly holed out again from the 13th fairway Friday. He’s hit 23 of 28 fairways, and needed only 52 putts.
“I’m very pleased with the way I’ve been playing,” Kuchar said. “I’m putting well, staying out of trouble.”
But his lead is far from safe, not with so many players chasing him and more bad weather on the horizon.
Bubba Watson (71), Vijay Singh (66) and Ryan Palmer (68) joined the big group at 5 under. Phil Mickelson scrambled his way to a 69 on Friday afternoon, putting him at 2 under — and very much alive in his quest to move to No. 1 in the world for the first time.
