KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – With everything Branden Grace has been through on and off the golf course in the past nine months, a tough finish to fall out of the lead at the PGA Championship wasn't that big a deal.
Grace, a 33-year-old South African with a low ball flight that works well in windy conditions, was the only player ahead of Phil Mickelson early Friday afternoon at Kiawah Island when his tee shot on the wicked par-3 17th hole missed short and right and found the water, leading to double bogey.
Grace followed with a bogey on the tough finishing hole to shoot a 1-under 71 and post 3-under 141 through two rounds, two strokes behind Mickelson. “You kind of knew that final stretch was going to play tough.