Power and Lowry into PGA weekend as Thomas makes move

Former champion Justin Thomas overcame testing conditions to set the clubhouse target on day two of the 104th US PGA Championship, while Seamus Power and Shane Lowry both secured their spots for the weekend. Thomas, who lifted the Wanamaker Trophy at Quail Hollow in 2017, carded a second-consecutive 67 at Southern Hills for a halfway total of 134, six under par. That took the world number one a shot ahead of overnight leader Rory McIlroy, who was among the later starters on Friday as he continued his bid to win a fifth major title and first since 2014.

Power and Lowry, teeing off among the early starters on Friday, had contrasting afternoons. The Waterford-man may be content with his second round of 69, birdies on the 2nd, 10th and 13th alongside two dropped strokes helping him to even-par for the competition.

Lowry, however, may be frustrated after a sloppy inward nine which saw him drop from two-under to two-over. Starting on the 10th, the 2019 Open Champion was going smoothly, with birdies on 13 and 14 taking him into the top-10. He bogeyed the 2nd (his 11th) but it was the 4th that really rocked him backwards, a greenside bunker shot tumbling down the slope and rolling back to his feet, ultimately resulting in a double-bogey. A three-putt on the par-3 17th left him at +2.

The forecast of winds gusting up to 40mph had prompted tournament officials to opt not to cut the greens before play got under way on Friday in a bid to prevent balls moving on the undulating surfaces. Thomas immediately found the speed of the greens to his liking as he birdied the 10th, his opening hole, and also picked up another shot on the 13th to join McIlroy at the top of the leaderboard for the first time. That was short-lived as Thomas promptly