Australian golf is in a good place, as is Phil Mickelson's hill-sliding technique - let's take a look back at five talking points from Friday at the 2015 US PGA Championship...
1. Hiroshi Iwata is enjoying his first trip to the States
Playing in his first US Major Championship this week, you would have forgiven Hiroshi Iwata were he to have contented himself with just soaking up the big match atmosphere, mixing it with the great and good in world golf, snaring a bit of merchandise, perhaps, or just generally enjoying the experience of life in one of the game's great championships.
Not so, as the Japanese bounced back from a first round 77 by becoming the 25th player to shoot a record-low score of 63 in Major Championship history. Iwata, who bettered his first round score by 14 strokes and scaled 108 places up the leaderboard as a result, set a new Strait's course record score and although he might not quite have found that ever-illusive first Major 62, he did very well nonetheless in the end to claim his 63, getting up-and-down from the thick stuff short of the 18th green to snatch a place in sporting folklore.
Invited to join the assembled international media, after making his first cut in a Major Championship, Iwata seemed more impressed by hosting his first press conference - although the experience wasn't quite all the 34 year old had hoped for. "I have seen these kind of media centres on TV, but I'm honoured to be here to be interviewed," he said. "But when I came in, I thought that it was going to be more people." Ah.
2. Rosey was well, rosey, until he opened his mouth on the 18th tee
Justin Rose is a world class golfer – everyone knows that. The 2013 US Open Champion has been talking about his form peaking at just the right time ahead of this week, and his game has certainly backed up those sentiments so far. The Englishman has already made 13 birdies so far this week and was seemingly heading for a strong finish at eight under par, with one hole of his second round remaining.
3. Australian Golf is in a very healthy place
When Adam Scott won the 2013 Masters and became the tenth Australian to win a Major Championship, a nation rejoiced. Aussies love their sport and they love their winners, so they will be delighted to see the the likes of Jason Day, Matt Jones and Cameron Smith joining the very talented Scott on Major leaderboards.
Day and Jones have already written the headlines for the Australian papers going into the weekend, with the pair co-leading the 2015 US PGA Championship at the end of the rain-delayed second day. Seeing Day on a leaderboard in a big event will come as no surprise to any golf fan, with the 27 year old having been at or within three shots of the lead following nine of the last ten Major rounds contested.
But what about Matt Jones and what is his story? Well, the Sydney born player has one US PGA Tour win to his name (the 2014 Shell Houston Open), one second place finish and 22 other top tens, so he knows what he is doing. However, he has never hit the heights that Scott and Day have. This week he is clearly looking to change that.
4. The weather in Wisconsin can get pretty wild
As we found out late on Friday afternoon after what had been a baking hot day in Sheboygan. With the skies darkening, the wind picking up and temperatures dropping rapidly, weather warning signs were posted around the course at 1628 before play was finally suspended an hour later as the nasty stuff rolled in.
Howling gales, hammering rain and thunderous electricity hit Whistling Straits hard shortly after, leading to the rest of the day being called off and leaving those left in and around the property wondering whether we were about to be blown away, a la Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. With things verging on the apocalyptic as play was called, the third round will resume - hopefully in more benign conditions - at 0700 local time on Saturday morning.
5. And finally...Phil Mickelson is not too old to have a little fun
Loitering precariously on the cut-line, you would have expected Phil Mickelson to be a picture of concentration; all fibres poised, every sinew straining, all thoughts focussed on one and only one thing - getting the job done. But Phil, being Phil, ever the entertainer, decided to take the quick route down one of this fine layout's many hills.
He might have five Major Championships to his name, be one of the most experienced players in the game, but Lefty had no qualms with boarding the Whistling Straits slip 'n' slide. Priceless.
