Shane Lowry fades as Europeans struggle in US PGA Championship

Shane Lowry was among a string of European stars whose hopes faded on the second day of the US PGA Championship as Scottie Scheffler battled hard at Aronimink Golf Club.

Ireland’s Lowry began a shot off the lead, but a dire six-over round of 76 means he is set to miss the cut, as are Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre after rounds of 73 and 75, respectively.

World number one Scheffler struggled off the tee and he slipped away from the top of the leaderboard after three early bogeys.

He hit back well after the turn as the morning starters could not stretch the lead beyond three under par.

Rory McIlroy’s quest for a seventh major title started badly with a four-over opening round, meaning his first objective is also ensuring he makes the cut for the weekend.

He starts his round at 2:05pm local time (7:05pm IST).

Lowry started with a bogey at the 10th and it only got worse from there. He inexplicably found the water off the tee at 17, making a double, and three more bogeys came on his back nine.

Fleetwood has not got going at Aronimink and three bogeys on his front nine ended any hopes.

Defending champion Scheffler was the big name among a seven-way tie for the lead – the first time he has led after an opening round of a major in his career – as the second day began in south-west Philadelphia.

German Martin Kaymer, bidding to recapture major glory 12 years on from the last of his two successes, was part of that group but five bogeys in his first seven holes soon put pay to that.

Scheffler started on the back nine, alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose who were both level par.

It was a tough start for the group as Rose double-bogeyed the opener after needing two attempts to escape a fairway bunker, with Scheffler and