CHARLOTTE: Max Homa vaulted into contention at the PGA Championship with a sizzling start to the second round on Friday at Quail Hollow where he joined the pack of golfers breathing down the neck of overnight leader Jhonattan Vegas. Homa, who began the day nine shots back of Vegas, reached the turn in six-under after a remarkable display that included a tap-in eagle at the par-four 14th and chip-in birdie from 49 feet at the 18th. The 34-year-old American, who won his first PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow in 2019, then poured in a 33-foot birdie at the par-three fourth that he followed with a bogey and was six-under on the day through 16 holes. Vegas, the first Venezuelan to hold the lead or co-lead in a major championship, was even-par through nine holes and two shots clear of a trio consisting of J.J. Spaun, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon and Ryan Gerard. World number 70 Vegas, who fired a seven-under par 64 on Thursday for his lowest major round, answered a bogey at the second hole with a birdie at the par-five seventh and was on seven-under. Pavon, fifth in last year’s US Open for his best major finish, sank a 34-foot birdie putt at the second, a eight-footer to birdie the par-three fourth, a tap-in birdie at the par-five seventh and another from inside three feet the eighth. When he rolled in a 17-foot birdie putt at the 12th, Pavon reached five-under to share second. Gerard, who fired a 66 on Thursday, was set to start in the penultimate 10th-tee group. Spaun birdied three holes in a row starting at the third and answered a bogey at the sixth with birdies at the par-five seven and 10th holes. His 10-foot birdie putt at the 14th lifted him into a share of second. Englishman Aaron Rai was three shots back and part of a pack sharing fifth place with five holes to play. Rai, who overcame a bogey-bogey start with three birdies over a four-hole stretch on the front nine to enter the fray, had a chance to move into a share of the lead but missed a nine-foot birdie putt at the 10th. LIV Golf’s Tyrrell Hatton also made an early move and was one shot off the lead until a triple-bogey at his ninth hole, the par-four 18th, dropped him into a share of 25th place. Britain’s Hatton put his tee shot at 18 into the creek that runs along the fairway, sent his next into thick rough on the right from where his chip towards the green trickled back down a slope and left him spewing profanities. Among the other early starters, US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau was lurking five shots off the pace after two birdies before the turn and was two under on the week with eight holes left in his second round. Australian Cam Davis, who was in a share of second with little-known Gerard and two shots behind Vegas after the first round, dropped back after a shaky start. World number one Scottie Scheffler, whose opening 69 was the lowest score from his high-profile group featuring Rory McIlroy (74) and defending champion Xander Schauffele (72) was due to head out in the afternoon in the same company. Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2025