CHARLOTTE, NC — Terrell Hatton hit a 6-under 65 on Friday to move to a share of the second-round lead at Wells Fargo, while Rory McIlroy’s bid for a record fourth tournament title hit a major snag.
Hatton, who has one win on the PGA Tour and six more on the European Tour, played the final four holes at Quail Hollow on the 4-under to reach an 8-under 134, matching Nate Lashley and Wyndham Clark through 36 holes.
Lashley is also a one-time winner on the tour, while Clark has no wins.
Several highly ranked players were at the back, including No. 5 Xander Schauffele, major champion Justin Thomas, and Adam Scott in the six-man group in the seventh alongside Sungjae Im, JJ Spaun, and Adam Svensson.
Defending champion Max Homa moved on to the competition. Shot 67 and was 3 bullets in the back.
With 28 players within 4 shots of the lead, Schavelli called the tournament “anybody’s game”.
“They say the cream rises to the top and the more difficult the ownership … the better players usually move up,” said Schavelli. “So, I mean, I think those fields are really good now.”
Hatton started his round on the back nine and his strong shutout included a 26-foot eagle putt on the par 5 7th hole. The Englishman made three putts of 25 feet or more on the last four holes.
“She’s not the kind of puncher you’re constantly punching, so to finish the round this way, I’m obviously very pleased with that,” Hatton said. “Nice to see some hitters get in.”
McIlroy, who has won at Quail Hollow in 2010, 2015 and 2021, shot 73 and ran away with an impressive 4-ranked 18th to make the cut.
His top putt on the 18th almost rolled into the stream along the left side of the fairway. Facing an uneven lie with the ball above his feet, McElroy changed clubs several times before settling in and finding the front green with his approach shot. and was hit with two ends from 75 feet.
While a 7-shot deficit seems like a lot to overcome, it was McIlroy who shot 61 on Saturday in 2015 en route to victory.
Thomas, who won the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in 2017 and helped lead the United States to a Presidents Cup win here last year, shoots a par-67 to get into the mix.
“I know how to get around the track very well,” said Thomas. “I think it’s obviously different but kind of like Augusta National. I feel like if I don’t get it right there’s always a place I have like I can kind of get it.”
First round leader Tommy Fleetwood followed his opening round of 65 with a score of 71 and was 6 under. Fleetwood has six wins on the European Tour but none on the PGA Tour. He was confident of his chances.
“Nobody really gets away [from the pack] “And there aren’t a lot of low scores,” Fleetwood said. Just goes to show how challenging golf is out there on this golf course. You played really well. I feel that if you do that, your opportunities will come and you can take them.”
Mark Hubbard gained 170 yards, is 3-foot-17, and was 2-under.
Notable players who missed the cut included 14th-ranked Colin Morikawa, who hit back-to-back 73s, and Jordan Spieth, who hit 77 on Friday.