Kevin Kisner opened up a two-shot lead as the second round of the US PGA Championship got under way at Quail Hollow Club.
The American entered the day in a share of the lead with Thorbjørn Olesen and with the Dane and the bulk of the rest of the leading challengers not due out until the afternoon, he had the chance to make an impact and separate himself from the field.
He turned in 34 from the tenth to get to six under and do just that, sitting two shots ahead of Olesen and fellow American DA Points.
Rickie Fowler was then one under for his first ten holes to sit at three under alongside later starters Brooks Koepka, Grayson Murray, Chris Stroud and Gary Woodland.
Byeong-hun An was then at two under having completed ten holes, a shot clear of England's Jordan Smith who had played seven.
Kisner had birdied the 18th on Thursday to share the lead and he carried that momentum into round two, making gains on the tenth and 12th to move ahead. He then dropped a shot on the next but re-established his cushion on the 15th.
Points bogeyed the first but made gains on the fourth and sixth before dropping a shot on the seventh and birdieing the eighth.
Fowler bogeyed the 12th but bounced back with birdies on the 14th and 17th.
An bogeyed the first but an eagle on the seventh and a birdie on the tenth moved him into a group alongside afternoon starters Patrick Reed, Tony Finau, Jim Herman and Paul Casey.
Smith was making his Major Championship debut and despite sitting three over after three holes on Thursday, the Porsche European Open champion recovered to get to three under with birdies on the tenth and 13th before dropping shots on the 15th and 16th.
World Number Four Rory McIlroy was one under for his round to sit level par after ten holes.
He turned in 34 from the tenth to get to six under and do just that, sitting two shots ahead of Olesen and fellow American DA Points.
Rickie Fowler was then one under for his first ten holes to sit at three under alongside later starters Brooks Koepka, Grayson Murray, Chris Stroud and Gary Woodland.
Byeong-hun An was then at two under having completed ten holes, a shot clear of England's Jordan Smith who had played seven.
Kisner had birdied the 18th on Thursday to share the lead and he carried that momentum into round two, making gains on the tenth and 12th to move ahead. He then dropped a shot on the next but re-established his cushion on the 15th.
Points bogeyed the first but made gains on the fourth and sixth before dropping a shot on the seventh and birdieing the eighth.
Fowler bogeyed the 12th but bounced back with birdies on the 14th and 17th.
An bogeyed the first but an eagle on the seventh and a birdie on the tenth moved him into a group alongside afternoon starters Patrick Reed, Tony Finau, Jim Herman and Paul Casey.
Smith was making his Major Championship debut and despite sitting three over after three holes on Thursday, the Porsche European Open champion recovered to get to three under with birdies on the tenth and 13th before dropping shots on the 15th and 16th.
World Number Four Rory McIlroy was one under for his round to sit level par after ten holes.
