Jason Day and Matt Jones, both of Australia, were tied for the lead at 9-under-par when a thunderstorm wiped out play for the rest of the day in the second round of the 97th PGA Championship at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler, Wis.
Play will resume early Saturday.
Day (pictured), who like Jones opened with a 4-under-par 68, birdied three of the first six holes, added three more in a row through No. 13 and hit his approach shot to within 15 feet to set up another birdie putt on No. 15 right before the horn sounded.
“We’ll see how it goes tomorrow,” said Day, who has finished in the top 10 in major championships nine times without winning. “We’ve got some scoring holes and some tough ones to finish on. But I’m real happy to be done.”
Jones started at No. 10 and birdied three straight holes through No. 13, added another at No. 18 and earned his share of the lead with a two-putt birdie from 41 feet on the second hole.
Justin Rose of England, who started with a 69, collected eight birdies through No. 17 and was one stroke back in solo third while playing the last hole when play ended for the day.
David Lingmerth of Sweden, who had an opening 67, carded eight birdies in a rollercoaster round of 70 and was another shot behind in a tie for fourth with Harris English, who was a bogey-free 3-under for the day through 15 holes, and rookie Tony Finau, who was a bogey-free 6-under after 13, including an 11-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole.
Jordan Spieth, the Masters and U.S. Open, made only one bogey in a 67 and was three strokes behind in a tie for seventh with Brendan Steele of Irvine and UC Riverside, who shot 69, Scott Piercy, who had a 70, Russell Henley, who was 2-under for round two after 17 holes, and J.B. Holmes, who was 2-under through 14 holes.
“In order to keep shooting rounds like today, I’m going to need to drive the ball better and make a few more putts, which are really the two keys to this weekend,” said Spieth, who is trying to join Ben Hogan (1953) and Tiger Woods (2000) as the only players to win three pro majors in one season. “It’s just going to get more challenging with pin locations and firmness of greens.”
Dustin Johnson, the first-round leader with a 66, was four strokes down and at 1-over for round two after 14 holes, while defending champion Rory McIlroy was seven shots back in a tie for 28th after a second 71.
Phil Mickelson, the 2005 PGA champion, posted a 73 and was two strokes inside the cutline in a tie for 64th, while four-time PGA winner Woods was 1-over for the round and 4-over for the tournament through 13 holes, two shots outside the line.
Martin Kaymer of Germany, who won the 2010 PGA at Whistling Straits, was six shots behind in a tie for 24th, while Zach Johnson, who won the Open Championship at St. Andrews last month, posted a 72 and was one shot off the cutline.
Hiroshi Iwata of Japan recorded the 27th 63 in major championship history and was five strokes behind in a tie for 15th.
