PGA Championship: 5 golfers to watch heading into the final 2 days

Phil Mickelson surprised everyone by capturing the lead with Louis Oosthuizen. But there are some other golfers who could steal Lefty’s thunder.

If you were a bit shocked tuning into coverage on Friday morning and seeing a familiar name at the top, you weren’t the only one. I had to do a double take when I saw 50-year-old Phil Mickelson sitting above younger compatriots Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Corey Connors and Hideki Matsuyama. Were they showing the senior tour instead?

Seriously, though, it was unexpected, to saw the least. The headlines about Mickelson just the week before had talked about him accepting a special exemption from the USGA to play the U. S. Open in his hometown next month, the only major he has never won. With his spellbinding turn here at Kiawah Island Resort, Phil’s chances of completing a long-sought career Grand Slam just become a reality. He will also turn 51 the day before the U.S. Open starts next month.

But enough about Phil (more on him later), here are the players to watch as we head into “moving day” Saturday.

Louis Oosthuizen looking for a second major

If golf fans were shocked by Lefty’s name capping the leaderboard, they were perhaps equally amazed by the player sharing the top spot, South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen. Like Mickelson, Oosthuizen has had his share of heartbreak on the Tour, getting to the runner-up spot in all four majors, including the PGA just a few years ago (2017). The 38-year-old’s initial breakthrough came at the 2010 British Open, which Oosthuizen is hoping to prove was not a one-time fluke. A second major would do just that, in addition to giving him his maiden PGA title.

“Look, it’ll be great to get a second major,” Oosthuizen said, via the Miami Herald. “There’s a lot of golf left, and I just feel whenever I get to a major, I sort of have my game where I want to have it and mentally, I feel very strong at a major week.”

After shooting a 71 on Thursday, Louis Oosthuizen hit the ground running on Friday, with a birdie on the first hole, overtaking the lead from Phil on the back nine, but ultimately bogeying the 18th to fall back to equal footing with Mickelson.

Brooks Koepka’s bad**s confidence is back

Brooks Koepka proved Friday that he should never be counted out. Having missed the cut in his last two tournaments since right knee surgery — the AT&T Byron Nelson and The Masters, where he visibly showed the strain of a painful comeback — the 31-year-old wasn’t expected to be in contention at the PGA Championship.

But shooting a 69 on Thursday showed that Koepka had found a way to deal with pain. The West Palm Beach native continued to thrill with two eagles on Friday, one on the front nine and another on the back.

"“It’s a major, man,” was Brooks Koepka’s assured response, according to Golf.com. “It’s going to be tough, especially with the wind blowing. It doesn’t matter. Just go out and go play.”"

His bogey on the 17th pushed him one back from Mickelson and Oosthuizen. But those eagles, man.

Hideki Matsuyama is gunning for two majors in a row

Matsuyama’s first major win at last month’s Masters seems to have awakened a fire within the player. He may have had a bumpy first day on the Ocean Course—with a double bogey on the 3rd—but he reignited the confidence factor that earned him that green jacket by Day 2. Clocking in six impressive birdies to two bogeys, the Japanese player reversed the pendulum, getting under par with a -3 finish.

After waiting so long to get his first major, wouldn’t it be a story if he made back-to-back majors?

Harry Higgs the most fun to watch

At one under, you wouldn’t say Harry Higgs is that much in contention. Except that he is, with the lead score at -5, plus, well, he hit the shots of the day. Sitting at plus one, he entered the 17th and then did this phenomenal putt.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, he repeated the feat on the 18th, clocking in a mesmerizing 120 feet of putts on the last two holes.

The American is playing his first PGA Championship, mind you. And playing it with panache.

Phil’s zen day of golf

Mickelson began Friday in the lead (starting out early), and ended almost the same, sharing the top spot. Phil looked slick in shades and frankly just calm, cool, and collected, knocking out five sparkling birdies on the front nine, and adding one more on the back. The five-time major winner attributed his composure to meditation, which he plans to employ as he progresses further at Kiawah. The question in everyone’s minds will be if he can keep up the consistency for the next two days, which has been his issue as of late.

Phil’s been on the scene since 1992. You can read more of his incredible stats here (if you don’t already have many of them memorized). If he wins on Sunday, he will be the oldest major winner. It will also be one of the biggest stories in golf.

It’s a sure bet that most in the crowd will be rooting for him.

PGA Championship play resumes on Saturday, with the final day Sunday, viewable on ESPN and CBS.