Matt Jones is four behind the leaders after the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship.
Camera IconMatt Jones is four behind the leaders after the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship. Credit: AP

Mickelson blown away at PGA's Quail

Doug FergusonAAP


Phil Mickelson was 11 shots worse than his previous round at Quail Hollow. Bryson DeChambeau made an eight on his 16th hole and headed straight for the exit.



Former US Open champion Gary Woodland had a two-under 69 in the morning and shared the 36-hole lead with Matt Wallace (67) and Patrick Rodgers (68).

No one in the afternoon could catch them at six-under 136.


As for Mickelson?


"I'm excited to be in contention heading into the weekend, and I know I'm playing well," Mickelson said.


And then the wind arrived, the scores shot up and he made the cut on the number at two-over 144.

"The hardest conditions I've played in a while," Justin Thomas said after a 73 that included a three-putt double bogey on the par-3 13th. His downhill putt from 18 feet caught a gust so strong it stopped four feet short.

Australians Matt Jones and Cameron Davis remain in contention, four and five shots respectively behind the leaders.

Jones fought back after a double bogey on the 17th hole - his eighth - to post 71 to go with his 69 on Thursday. He mixed four birdies with two bogeys and his blemish on 17.

Davis' 71 was a round of extremes. He began with three bogeys in his opening four holes (10th, 12th and 13th), before making four successive birdies beginning on 14.

He lost further shots on the first, second and eighth but had birdies on three and seven.

Former world No.1 Jason Day shot 73 for a three-over 145 to miss the cut by one.

Mickelson was determined to put an end to a drought so severe that he hasn't finished among the top 20 in nine months.


"The back nine, I just wasn't sharp," Mickelson said. "I think an example of what I've been talking about is on 17, we're standing over the ball and I'm changing my mind and I'm changing the shot, moving the clubhead a little bit.

"So I've got to fix that, I just can't keep doing that. "I'm optimistic for the weekend, though."