Jhonattan Vegas stays ahead in PGA Championship as Scottie Scheffler looms large

Scottie Scheffler wasn't paying attention to all the drama next to him in a star-power group or ahead of him on the leaderboard Friday at the PGA Championship.

Scheffler kept doing his best with the swing he had, responding to his lone bogey with a pair of birdies until he was within striking distance of 36-hole leader Jhonattan Vegas and became a large presence on leaderboard filled with so much inexperience in the majors.

"I like the position I'm in going into the weekend," Scheffler said after a 3-under 68 left him only three shots behind at Quail Hollow.

Vegas had the lead for the first time in a major and didn't back down. He finished late Thursday with five birdies on his last six holes for a 64 and had what felt like only three hours of sleep. He was tired, but it didn't show until the end.

He missed a 3-foot putt on the 18th hole and took double bogey. He still shot 70, and his lead remained two shots going into the weekend.

"Every chance you get to lead a major and play with the lead is never easy," Vegas said. "So I feel proud of a solid round today."

He was at 8-under 134, two ahead of Matthieu Pavon of France (65), former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick (68) and Si Woo Kim, the engaging South Korean who made an ace on the longest par 3 at Quail Hollow on his way to a 64. Kim hit 5-wood on the 252-yard sixth hole, making it the longest hole-in-one in major championship history.

The real stress was next to Scheffler.

Canadian Taylor Pendrith is tied for 17th at sits at -3 under, while fellow countrymen Corey Connors (-1) is tied for 36th. 

Xander Schauffele was in danger of becoming the first defending champion to miss the cut in the PGA Championship since Jimmy Walker in 2017. He was two shots over the cut