ROCHESTER – Viktor Hovland says he has the “tools” to win his first Major title, Corey Conners has confidence from an April triumph and world No. 2 Scottie Scheffler has already won a Major.

That was why each of the co-leaders after Friday’s second round of the PGA Championship figures he has a good chance to lift the trophy on Sunday at Oak Hill.

Scheffler, the 2022 US Masters champion, and Canada’s Conners fired two-under 68s while Norway’s 11th-ranked Hovland closed with a birdie to shoot a 67 and match them for the 36-hole lead on five-under 135.

“I find myself comfortable in these situations. These are the positions I want to be in. I want to be near the lead,” Scheffler said. “I’m excited to be in a good position going into the weekend. With that being said, I’m going to keep my head down and keep doing what I’m doing.”

Conners captured his second PGA Tour title at the Texas Open and contended at the Masters from 2020 to 2022 before settling for top-10 results.

“Just getting experience in the situation is helpful,” he said of the trophy fight. “Winning in Texas a little over a month ago, take a lot from that. Lots of confidence in my game. Feel good, and having fun out there.”

Hovland feels he is ready for a Major breakthrough after sharing fourth at the British Open in 2022 and seventh at the Masters in April.

“I believe I have all the tools in the bag. I just have to go out there and execute,” he said.

“The ball-striking is definitely there. Putting, anything can happen and I feel like a lot of the short game work that I’ve been doing the last couple of months are starting to show a little bit.”

Wisdom from experience is also in Hovland’s tool kit.

“I haven’t done great in the Majors that I’ve played before. I’ve had some nice top-15 finishes and stuff like that, but I haven’t quite been in contention,” he added.

“I think that has been because I’ve just been a little bit young and stupid, just going after some pins that I’m not supposed to go for, even though I’m feeling good about my ball-striking.

“Then you make bogey or double and you just can’t do that in Majors. You just have to wear out centre of the green. If that putter gets hot, you can make some birdies.”

The three men opened up a two-shot lead going into the weekend on Justin Suh (68) and LIV Golf standard-bearer Bryson DeChambeau, who bogeyed the 18th for a one-over 71.

Brooks Koepka (66), another member of the LIV Golf contingent, and Callum Tarren (67) are another shot adrift at two-under.

Through the first two rounds, golfers have already faced about everything Mother Nature could throw at them with gusting winds, frost and rain adding to Oak Hill’s already sturdy defences.

After freezing temperatures and frost delayed the start of Thursday’s play, wind and rain were the issue on Friday as only nine of 156 players reached the midway point of the year’s second Major under par.

Jordan Spieth kept his hopes of completing a career Grand Slam alive after staging a clutch fightback to make the cut.

The 29-year-old American, nursing an injured left wrist, fired a two-over 72 to make the cut on the number at five-over 145, 10 off the lead.

“Missing the cut would be such a dagger because I could have just taken the week off,” he said.

The three-time Major winner, who skipped last week’s PGA Tour stop in his hometown of Dallas, tested his wrist two days before deciding on Wednesday to play.

Spieth said that the wrist is “holding up nicely” even if his scoring is not. AFP, REUTERS