NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Taylor Pendrith knows what it takes to have success at the PGA Championship after his 2025 effort. And there were plenty of positives on Friday at Aronimink Golf Club until an unfortunate final-hole disaster.
Pendrith, who was tied for fifth at the PGA last year in Charlotte, made six birdies in the second round — tied for the most of anyone in the field on Friday. Alas, and unfortunately, he also made five bogeys and a triple-bogey seven on the closing hole. He hit his drive in the middle of the fairway on 18 before hitting a poor approach. He fluffed his first chip, nearly fluffed his second, and then got up-and-down from a tricky greenside lie to come in with a 2-over 72.
He made the cut on the number at 4-over 74.
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The good news for Pendrith, however, is that he showed some flashes of brilliance with the putter — the club he’s been struggling with so far in 2026 — and his elite driving of the golf ball was on display on Friday, leading the field in strokes gained: off the tee.
“Other than the last 20 minutes of the day, it was great. Sucks to finish like that, but I played really, really nice today,” Pendrith told Sportsnet. “Drove it awesome, hit some really good irons, and made some putts today, which was really nice to see. I felt like I played a really, really nice golf until the end.”
Nick Taylor and Corey Conners will also find the weekend, with Conners extending his made-cut streak at the majors to 11, the second-longest active streak in men’s professional golf.
Conners shot a 3-over 73 after four bogeys and a birdie on his first nine holes — followed by nine straight pars on his second nine.
“It was a tricky day right from the get-go this morning,” Conners said. “The wind was really howling. It was pretty cold. Tricky to get the ball in the hole. Made bogey on the first couple of holes and couldn't quite give myself birdie looks to get back on the right side of par. But I battled hard, played pretty steady, just wasn't able to really give myself that many good birdie looks and was kind of grinding all day.”
Taylor held steady through Friday until hitting his tee shot on the par-4 18th too far left and leaving himself with a tricky approach to the green, leading to a closing-hole bogey. Taylor switched back to his RBC Canadian Open-winning putter two weeks ago and has gained more than two shots on the field with the flatstick so far this week — and it’s been his putting that has kept him in it so far.
“It’s been important. I made a lot of crucial par putts to keep the round going,” Taylor said. “I’m reading them pretty well. Just need a few more opportunities for birdies but again, that’s easier said than done. It’s just playing very difficult.”
Taylor and Conners head into the weekend at 1 over par, but they’re just five shots back of the co-lead held by Alex Smalley and Maverick McNealy.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju, in his major championship debut, missed the cut. He shot 75-75 to finish at 10-over 150.
