CHARLOTTE: Jhonattan Vegas, chasing his first major title, clung to a two-stroke lead in Friday’s second round of the PGA Championship while top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and South Korean Kim Si-woo made late charges at Quail Hollow.
Vegas closed with a double bogey to fire a one-under-par 70 and stand on eight-under 134 after 36 holes with France’s Matthieu Pavon shooting 65 to share second with England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and Kim on 136.
“It was a great day,” Vegas said. “I can’t really get too down on myself for making double on 18. I feel like I managed my game really well. I was feeling it out there. It was nice to keep the momentum. The game was there and the feeling was good.
“I wasn’t happy to finish with that double on 18 but we have two more days to go.”
Kim aced the par-three sixth hole from 252 yards with a five-wood, hitting the longest hole-in-one in major history, and added six birdies against a lone bogey to equal Max Homa for the day’s low round of 64.
“It was exciting,” Kim said of the ace. “I hit it like exactly how I wanted. So it was cool and it was pretty memorable hole-in-one in major.”
Sharing fifth in the clubhouse were Americans Homa and Scheffler, who shot 68 to stand on 137 — three off the lead.
“A little below average for me,” Scheffler said. “I felt like I did a good job scoring. I was able to hit the right shots when I need to.”
Scheffler’s playing partners in the feature group — second-ranked Masters winner Rory McIlroy and third-ranked defending champion Xander Schauffele — grinded through the final hole just to make the cut on the number at one-over 143.
McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam with his Masters win, closed bogey-bogey to flirt with missing the weekend, lipping out from three feet for par at 17 and hitting off a hospitality tent roof into rough at 18 and two-putting for bogey from 36 feet to shoot 69.
Closing par putts at 17 and 18 from inside four feet gave Schauffele a 71.
Vegas, who fired a 64 on Thursday, never lost the lead despite pressure while Pavon and Homa each delivered their career-low major rounds.
“That was really very solid,” Pavon said. “Got a nice momentum with the putter early on. A few birdies on the front nine helped me to be more confident on the back nine. Overall it was a super satisfying day.”
Homa shot 30 on the same back nine where he fired 39 on Thursday.
“I knew the game was good,” Homa said. “Didn’t know I was going to shoot seven-under but I’ll take it.”
Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, fired a 68 and will draw upon his major win to try and pad his trophy haul.
“The fact I’ve done it before, that’s always a big confidence boost,” he said. “You can lean on that. I’m just happy to be in this position.”
World number 70 Vegas was set to become the lowest-ranked player to lead a major outright after each of the first two rounds since American Gil Morgan at the 1992 US Open.
Vegas was battling after a sleepless night sitting on the lead.
“Not getting a great sleep and having to come back early put me not in the best mood all day,” Vegas said. “It felt like three hours, but I probably got a little bit more than that. I got some sleep but it wasn’t the best.”
American Jordan Spieth, needing a win the complete a career Grand Slam, missed the cut on 144.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, whose 19 made major cuts were the longest active streak, and two-time major winner Justin Thomas were out on 145.
Vegas clings to PGA lead as Kim, Scheffler charge
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Vegas clings to PGA lead as Kim, Scheffler charge
- Vegas closed with a double bogey to fire a one-under-par 70
Emirati driver Amna Al-Qubaisi set for historic Porsche Carrera Cup Asia debut
- The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend
DUBAI: When the UAE’s Amna Al-Qubaisi lines up on the grid at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, she will once again make motorsport history.
The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, from March 13 to 15.
Al-Qubaisi will join a highly competitive 30-driver grid from across Asia and beyond in one of the region’s leading GT racing championships.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia features drivers competing in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, placing a strong emphasis on driver skill, precision and consistency throughout the season.
For Al-Qubaisi, the milestone represents another step forward in a career that has already seen her break barriers for Emirati and Arab drivers in international motorsport.
“The competition is incredibly strong, which makes it even more exciting,” Al-Qubaisi told Arab News ahead of the race weekend.
“My approach is to stay focused on my own development, work closely with my team, and maximize every session.
“It’s my first time competing in this car and on tracks I’ve never been to before. In a field like this, every small improvement makes a difference, so consistency, preparation and learning quickly are key.”
The Shanghai race weekend will also mark Al-Qubaisi’s first experience racing at the circuit, where Porsche Carrera Cup Asia runs as a support race to the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix.
The Emirati driver has had limited time to prepare. “I wasn’t able to go back to the country and do simulator work, so I manually watched onboard footage and made notes of the circuit.
“It’ll be my first time racing in Shanghai and we’re the support race with Formula One, so I’m really looking forward to learning and enjoying the weekend.”
One of the biggest challenges this season will be adapting to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which demands a different driving style compared with the machinery Al-Qubaisi raced earlier in her career.
“The biggest challenge for me is getting used to the car,” she explained.
“I’m very used to single-seaters and prototypes, so moving into a heavier car with less downforce means the driving style is very different. It’s all about adapting and trying to make the most out of the car.”
Al-Qubaisi has been a pioneer for women in motorsport in the region since the early stages of her racing journey.
In 2019, she became the first Arab woman to win a single-seater race, claiming victory in the Formula 4 UAE Trophy round at Yas Marina Circuit during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
She later competed in the Italian Formula 4 Championship, Formula Regional Asian Championship, and F1 Academy, where she secured two race wins in 2023 and finished sixth in the overall standings.
More recently, Al-Qubaisi began transitioning toward sportscar and endurance racing. In 2025, she competed in the Ligier European Series with Group Virage alongside her sister Hamda Al-Qubaisi, where the pair secured three podium finishes during their rookie season.
Her move into Porsche Carrera Cup Asia follows her selection into the Porsche Talent Pool Asia, where she became the first Arab, and Arab female driver, to join the development program.
The championship calendar will take drivers across several of Asia’s most iconic circuits, including Fuji Speedway, Sepang International Circuit, the Bangsaen street circuit in Thailand and Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit.
While each venue presents a unique challenge, one track in particular stands out for Al-Qubaisi. “It’s hard to pick just one because they’re all incredible circuits,” she said.
“Fuji and Sepang are legendary tracks with a lot of history, but Singapore is definitely very exciting because racing on a street circuit is always unique. The atmosphere there is amazing. I raced there in F1 Academy back in 2024 so I’m really looking forward to experiencing that.”
For now, however, Al-Qubaisi’s focus is firmly on Shanghai as she prepares for the opening race of the season. “This weekend is about learning and enjoying the experience,” she said.
“The focus is to keep improving every session and build confidence with the car.”
