Justin Rose survived a volatile second round at the PGA Championship on Friday, securing his place in the weekend with a dramatic, final-hole eagle that erased a mounting deficit and kept his hopes alive in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
The 45-year-old Englishman, a longtime favorite in the Philadelphia region, found himself on the precipice of missing the cut after a rollercoaster performance at Aronimink. Facing a daunting shot from the thick rough 25 yards from the pin on the par-5 ninth, Rose played a gritty wedge shot that bounced three times on the green before tracking into the cup for an eagle 3.
The shot brought Rose to 3-over par, propelling him into the final rounds of his 24th career appearance at the championship. While Rose celebrated a narrow escape, the tournament saw a significant exodus of star power, most notably Bryson DeChambeau, who failed to make the cut after posting rounds of 76 and 71 to finish 7-over par.
DeChambeau’s exit marks the third time in four major championships that the two-time U.S. Open champion has failed to reach the weekend, highlighting a period of inconsistency for the power hitter. He was joined in the early departure by a staggering list of former PGA champions, including Jimmy Walker, Keegan Bradley, Jason Dufner, Y.E. Yang, and Shaun Micheel.
A rollercoaster ride at Aronimink
Rose’s path to the weekend was anything but smooth. His Friday was defined by extreme swings in momentum, beginning with a rocky start on the 10th hole. After driving into a bunker to the right, he required two shots just to exit the sand, eventually carding a double-bogey 6.
The volatility continued throughout the round. Rose managed birdies on the 12th and 16th, but those gains were offset by a sequence of a bogey, another double-bogey, and a third bogey, leaving him at 4-over 39 when he closed his first nine holes.
The struggle persisted as he moved to the front nine. Despite three straight pars and a birdie, Rose stumbled again with bogeys on the 6th and 8th holes. By the time he reached the ninth, his position on the leaderboard had tumbled, making the final-hole eagle not just a highlight, but a necessity for survival.
The cut line drama
Rose was not the only player to rely on late-round heroics. Michael Kim also utilized the par-5 ninth to save his tournament, holing out from 65 feet just off the left side of the green. Kim finished at 4-over, exactly one stroke under the cut line, to secure his spot in the final rounds.
A total of 82 players, comprising the top 70 and ties, advanced to the weekend. Among those who progressed was Cam Smith, who ended a frustrating streak of six consecutive missed cuts in majors by posting an even-par 140 over the first two days.
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald also survived the cut for the 13th time in 18 PGA appearances, finishing the second round at 4-over par.
PGA Championship: Second Round Cut Summary
| Player | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cam Smith | Even | Made Cut |
| Justin Rose | +3 | Made Cut |
| Luke Donald | +4 | Made Cut |
| Jimmy Walker | +5 | Missed Cut |
| Bryson DeChambeau | +7 | Missed Cut |
A legacy of resilience
For those familiar with the trajectory of Justin Rose’s career, Friday’s struggle and subsequent triumph were fitting. Rose is widely cited as one of the most resilient figures in modern golf; he famously missed the first 20 cuts of his professional career before ascending to become a major champion and an Olympic gold medalist.
His connection to the Philadelphia area adds an emotional layer to his presence at the PGA Championship. Rose previously won the 2013 U.S. Open at the nearby Merion Golf Club and captured his second PGA Tour title at Aronimink during the 2010 AT&T National. Though he lost a playoff to Keegan Bradley at this same venue during the 2018 BMW Championship, Rose has consistently performed well under the pressure of the local galleries.
The mid-40s resurgence Rose is currently experiencing has seen him post multiple runner-up finishes in majors in recent years, proving that his ability to grind out a score remains a potent weapon even as younger, longer hitters dominate the game.
As the tournament moves into the final two rounds, the focus shifts to the leaders and those, like Rose, who fought their way back from the brink. The third round is scheduled to begin Saturday morning, where Rose will look to turn his survival into a climb up the leaderboard.
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