ROCHESTER, NY — Corey Conners of Canada plays a shot on the seventh hole during the second round of the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club. | Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The Canadian is in the final group of a major on the weekend for the first time in his career.
For the first time in 20 years, a Canadian has a share of the 36-hole lead at a major championship.
Corey Conners, a native of Listowel, Ontario, Canada, shot 67 on Thursday and a 68 on Friday to sit at 5-under for the PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
The Canadian is tied atop the leaderboard with Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland; Conners and Scheffler tee off at 2:50 p.m. Saturday in the final pairing.
Given that Oak Hill sits just 90 miles from the Canadian border, Conners has received quite the support on the grounds this week.
“Lots of Canadian cheers [out here],” Conners said after his second round. “Being so close to the Canadian border, I think lots of fans came down from Canada. I felt pretty special to have a lot of support out there.”
Conners has leaned on his support to vault himself to the top of the leaderboard.
Interestingly, according to Justin Ray of The Athletic, Conners shares some statistical similarities to Jason Dufner’s 2013 season.
Dufner won the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill:
Jason Dufner entering 2013 PGA at Oak Hill:
– 2 PGA Tour wins
– OWGR: 21
– Top-10 in previous start
– Top-25 in SG approach & GIR that season
Corey Conners entering this week:
– 2 PGA Tour wins
– OWGR: 29
– Top-10 in previous start
– Top-25 this season in SG approach & GIR
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) May 19, 2023
To win at Oak Hill, players need to put themselves in a position to hit the green. It’s a ball-striking golf course.
Through 36 holes, Conners ranks 7th in strokes gained: approaching the green as he has hit 24-of-36 greens. He has made nine birdies thus far.
However, of the 12 greens he missed, Conners has managed to get up and down eight times. His scrambling percentage ranks tied for 11th in the field, thus proving his short game has what it takes to win a major.
Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America via Getty Images
ROCHESTER, NY — Corey Conners hits his third shot on the eighth hole during the second round of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club.
The pivotal juncture of his second round came at the 17th and 18th holes, two of Oak Hill’s tougher par fours.
At 17, Conners pushed his tee shot right, hit his second short of the green, and relied on his nifty short game to save his par.
Conners again missed the fairway right on the next hole as he drove into one of the deep bunkers 300 yards from the tee.
He was forced to layup, and he hit his second shot 84 yards short of the green and into the rough. It looked like he would drop a shot at 18, but his third landed ten feet from the pin, where he promptly sunk his par putt before making the turn.
Conners ranks 4th in strokes gained putting among the field, another reason he is contending at Oak Hill.
The Canadian has the ingredients to win at Oak Hill. Now he has to execute.
