CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Day 2 of the 2025 PGA Championship is in the books, with Jhonattan Vegas continuing to lead at 8 under par heading to the weekend. We call ’em like we see ’em around here. They are:

2025 PGA Championship Day 2 Winners

Max Homa: The six-time PGA Tour winner has been MIA for a year but went on a run Friday with a first-nine 30 that ended with a 64, his best score in a major by three shots. And with the narrative in recent months of players declining to talk to media after less-than-rosy moments (and Homa has had plenty), this was refreshing to hear: “It’s not so hard to be transparent. It doesn’t hurt me in any way.” He’s three back heading to Saturday.

Matt Fitzpatrick: Perhaps the only other top player who seemed as lost as Homa this season is Fitzpatrick. But like Homa, the 2022 U.S. Open winner may have also found his form this week. He shot a second straight 68 Friday and is suddenly and unexpectedly right in the mix.

Richard Bland: Raise your hand if you had this 52-year-old as one of the top LIV players, or any players, at Quail Hollow. The Englishman earned his spot here by winning last year’s Senior PGA Championship and through 36 holes he’s tied with Bryson DeChambeau as low man from the rival league, at 17th overall. And Bryson’s driving average this week is 76 yards longer than Bland’s.

Bunker rakes: These landscaping tools don’t traditionally factor into major-championship coverage, let alone a major-championship outcome, but on Friday Jhonny Vegas got a sweet kick off a rake just right of the green on the par-3 17th hole, taking a shot heading for trouble and rerouting it safely to the center of the putting surface. Vegas two-putted for par. The rake was not made available for post-round interviews. 

Si Woo Kim: Just give him the nickname “Ace” when he's playing in a major championship. The South Korean holed out on the par-3 6th from 252 yards Friday—the longest ace in major history according to the Elias Sports Bureau—and now has holes in one in his last two majors, having made one in last year’s British Open at the 238-yard 17th Royal Troon (he did not play in this year’s Masters). His career PGA Tour ace count is six, with his first coming in the 2016 Travelers Championship. No other player has had more over that span.

2025 PGA Championship Day 2 Losers

Justin Thomas: One of the pre-tournament favorites by virtue of his 2017 PGA win at Quail Hollow and his off-the-schneid win last month at the RBC Heritage, JT missed the cut by two shots after bogeying two of his last three holes. Has now missed cuts in six of his last 10 majors, which is absurd for his talent.

Jordan Spieth: Props for a Friday 68 with three birdies and an eagle, but that couldn’t undo the damage of a first-round 76. After Rory’s Masters triumph the career Grand Slam spotlight came back on Spieth, and in retrospect that was a little aggressive given his recent wrist injury recovery and three-year win drought. Let’s see a W on Tour, then the major talk can pick up again.

Dustin Johnson: On a supposed bomber’s course (this leaderboard begs to differ), DJ completely bombed out at 12 over and was beaten by nine club pros. The 40-year-old, in this field via special invitation from the PGA of America, has missed the cut in five of the last seven majors and it’s fair to wonder how many more times we’re going to see him in majors outside Augusta. 

Michael Block: One of the club pros Johnson did beat was Blockie, the 2023 PGA darling who bowed out at 15 over par, then suggested to Golf.com that he needed bigger crowds to hit better shots. We have nothing further to add.


This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 PGA Championship Round 2 Winners and Losers: Max Homa’s Perspective, Bunker Rake Bonanza.

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