LOUISVILLE — Tommy Fleetwood made the cut on the number at the PGA Championship. How he did it was a bit of history.
The Englishman had an inauspicious start at Valhalla on Thursday, failing to take advantage of favorable conditions en route to a first-round 72, a score leaving him 10 shots behind leader Xander Schauffele. Things did not necessarily improve on Friday, as Fleetwood was even through 17 holes and two shots on the wrong side of the project cut. The only hope was the short par-5 18th, which was essentially a par 4½ thanks to wet conditions.
Fleetwood made the most of the opportunity, hitting his 245-yard approach to six feet, cleaning up what was left for an eagle for a two-under 69 and one-under two-day total, a shot that gave Fleetwood passage into the weekend.
If that sounds rare, it is.
According to Randy Robles at the Elias Sports Bureau, it is the first time in 10 years that a player eagled the 36th hole to make the cut on the number at a major. Ironically, the last time it happened was also at Valhalla, with Hideki Matsuyama making 3 to reach Saturday at the 2014 PGA Championship.
Fleetwood, 33, is playing in his 10th PGA Championship. His best finish is a T-5 at the 2022 event.
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com