Oakland Hills, Michigan - American JB Holmes took the clubhouse lead midway through the second round of the US PGA Championship on Friday after a 2-under-par 68 at Oakland Hills. Holmes reached 3-under-par at one stage but a couple of late bogeys dropped him back to 1-under-par, one shot clear of former Open champion Ben Curtis, Englishman Justin Rose and little-known South Korean Charlie Wi, on another testing day for the field.
Holmes looked set to post a total well under par when he birdied three holes in a row from the 12th hole, but bogeys at 15 and 17 dropped him back to 1-under, still good enough for the lead on his own.
"The wind blew all day and it was a little difficult later on," Holmes said, before admitting that a place on the US Ryder Cup side is one of his aims - he stands 16th in the US list going into the US PGA.
"It's definitely one of my main goals," Holmes said. "I'd like to play good this week, to put myself in a good position. I'd like to continue to play well and see what happens."
Curtis and Rose fired brilliant 3-under-par 67s to return to level par, while Wi fired his second consecutive 70 to join them.
Overnight leaders Robert Karlsson of Sweden and Jeev Milka Singh of India bogeyed their opening holes to drop back early on in their second rounds. And with the wind picking up, Holmes looked likely to remain on top come the end of play.
Curtis, who tied for seventh in the Open in horrendous conditions at Royal Birkdale last month, again showed his prowess when it gets difficult, picking up four birdies and just one bogey, at the 3rd hole, to move right up the leaderboard.
"It was a little breezy but there were some softer conditions out there," Curtis said. "I just played extremely well. I drove the ball well and made a couple of good putts for par."
Rose, looking for a big finish to secure his place in the Europe side for the Ryder Cup against the United States in September, also had four birdies and only one bogey, at the 18th, while a superb long putt for par at the par-four 8th hole kept his momentum going.
A total of 18 players had to complete their first rounds on Friday morning, with Andres Romero of Argentina the best-placed of them, finishing on 1-under-par, one worse than he began the day.
Open champion Padraig Harrington fired a 74 to be 5-over-par at the halfway point, while Ernie Els was 6-over-par after a 75, the same mark as his countryman Retief Goosen, who carded a 74.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia, on 1-under-par, and Phil Mickelson, the 2005 champion and pre-tournament favourite, who carded a level-par 70 on day one, were both beginning their rounds later on Friday.
