When Justin Rose made the turn on Friday, he was even par for the tournament and seven shots behind Adam Scott. Rose caught fire over his final nine holes, though, and may wind up paired with Scott in Saturday’s final group.
2013 PGA Championship: Justin Rose charges in, now 6-under
Adam Scott is still in the lead, but on Friday it was his playing partner Justin Rose who stole the show.
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Rose was off to a rough start with back-to-back bogeys to open his round and, with the rain falling, he struggled to make up ground. Rose went out with a bogey at his ninth hole, dropping him to even par, and later said that he struggled to play during the rain and “was just trying to hang on for dear life.”
The rain eventually ceased, though, and that’s Rose went on a tear. He started his second nine with three straight birdies. After struggling early, Rose began drilling approach shots over his final nine holes. After a par on the Par 5 fourth hole, Rose added another birdie on No. 5. Following two more pars, Rose finished his day with back-to-back birdies to card a remarkable 6-under 29 on his second nine. He’s now 6-under overall, too, just one stroke off the lead.
Rose’s 29 coming in is even more impressive when you consider he didn’t take advantage of the two easiest holes on the front nine. He parred No. 5, which is the sixth-easiest hole on Friday, and made another par on No. 6 -- the hole that is playing as the easiest hole in the second round.
Scott and Rose, two very good friends, head into the weekend neck-and-neck for the lead. They are also in the thick of the battle for Player of the Year, along with Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. Scott, Woods and Mickelson drew a lot of the attention on Thursday, but after his closing nine on Friday, it could be Rose who takes home his second major of the season and wraps up Player of the Year.
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