The opening two rounds at Quail Hollow have prepared the stage for an intense weekend. Jhonattan Vegas headlines the field at 8-under, building on a brilliant 64 in Round 1 and an even-par 70 in Round 2. He was the first Venezuelan to lead a leaderboard at a major, remaining calm amidst muddy course conditions that infuriated many.

A few players were upset with the PGA’s refusal to permit lift, clean, and place, as mud on the ball was making shot control inconsistent. Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler both suffered on hole 16 with double bogeys, with Schauffele publicly criticizing the ruling.

Round 2 witnessed action from the trailing group. Si Woo Kim made headlines with a hole-in-one on the 6th and moved up to T2 at 6-under. Max Homa shot a sizzling 64 to reach 5-under, while Scheffler bounced back with a good 68. Rory McIlroy just managed to make the cut after recovering from a dismal opening round.

Not everybody made it past the cut—Dustin Johnson struggled hugely, ending at +12 and cutting his tournament short.

Currently, Vegas is two ahead, but with household names closing in, the weekend is set to provide drama.