Justin Thomas equalled the TPC Sawgrass course document with a surprising 10-under-par 62 at The Gamers Championship in Florida, whereas Rory McIlroy is simply two photographs off the lead on the midway stage.
It represented a outstanding turnaround from Thomas, who carded a six-over 78 in his opening spherical and started Friday in severe hazard of lacking the lower.
The 31-year-old American turned the primary participant to register 11 birdies in a single spherical on the PGA Tour’s flagship occasion as he matched the course document set by Tom Hoge in 2023.
Thomas’ 16-stroke enchancment can also be the most important from the primary to the second spherical within the occasion’s historical past and lifted him 104 locations on the leaderboard.
Regardless of discovering the water along with his second shot on the 18th, which resulted in a disappointing bogey to complete, the two-time US PGA champion is now solely seven photographs adrift of joint leaders Min Woo Lee and Akshay Bhatia.
“Loopy is an understatement. It’s wild. I’m simply actually happy with myself,” Thomas instructed Sky Sports activities.
“The rating is nice however simply [as good] to return out with the perspective and mentality. The place I put myself in I wanted to do one thing loopy simply to make the lower.”
Thomas’ spectacular efficiency units up an intriguing weekend, with reside commentary and protection of Saturday’s third spherical and Sunday’s finale on the BBC Sport web site and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.
Australia’s Lee, 26, and American Bhatia, 23, each signed for rounds of 66 to sit down on 11 underneath general, one shot forward of JJ Spaun.
Northern Eire’s McIlroy recorded a four-under 68 to remain in contact at 9 underneath – two photographs again.
It was the world quantity two’s second-lowest 36-hole rating at TPC Sawgrass, which he solely bettered when rising victorious in 2019.
Collin Morikawa’s 65 additionally equalled his lowest spherical on the Stadium Course, whereas England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who’s but to win on the PGA Tour, can also be nicely positioned on seven underneath after carding a 66.
World primary Scottie Scheffler is 2 photographs again following a 70, whereas Xander Schauffele, who performed alongside McIlroy and Scheffler within the marquee group, birdied his last gap of the day to complete one underneath.
That ensured the reigning US PGA and Open champion prolonged his proud run of 59 consecutive cuts made, the longest since Tiger Woods’ stretch of 142 from 1998-2005.
