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Jordan Spieth had been battling the same tricky conditions that frustrated the entire field on Friday. Strong winds, lightning-fast greens, and a demanding course layout made scoring difficult for everyone.
Justin Thomas in action(Getty Images via AFP)Justin Thomas could barely find the words to describe what he had just witnessed from fellow American Jordan Spieth during the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. The moment came on the 11th hole when Spieth faced a nightmare lie near the bunker. Instead of playing safe, he produced a shot so spectacular that even his rivals were left stunned.
Spieth had been battling the same tricky conditions that frustrated the entire field on Friday. Strong winds, lightning-fast greens, and a demanding course layout made scoring difficult for everyone. Yet Spieth somehow found magic when it mattered most, lofting the ball perfectly to safety and avoiding disaster.
Justin Thomas' reaction
Justin Thomas, watching closely, took to social media straight after the round to share his disbelief. “Can’t put into words how incredible this is and how MAYBE 5 people in this tournament could even hit that shot let alone try it during a major, and pull it off,” he wrote.
The praise came on a day when few players could find many positives. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy both voiced strong opinions about the course setup, with McIlroy calling it one of the hardest he had ever played. Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut entirely, while slow play and difficult pin positions added to the chaos across the leaderboard.
Justin Thomas climbs back into contention despite pace-of-play drama
While Jordan Spieth’s highlight kept fans talking, Justin Thomas produced a solid round that has put him right back in the mix for the title. The former major winner sits at two-under par heading into moving day on Saturday, just two shots off the lead. He shares that position with Scheffler and his playing partner Cameron Young.
Thomas’ progress is even more impressive given what happened during his round. His group, which also included Young and Keegan Bradley, was placed on the clock by officials for slow play. Thomas openly disagreed with the call and later explained his frustration in clear terms.
"It's hard because it's kind of the whole time par thing. What is time par? How can time par on this course be the same when it's blowing 25 and the pins are tough than if it's not?" he said.
"And does time par change every day? There's just so many factors that go into it.
"The hard part to me with the whole pace of play thing is that you, there's so much that goes into golf and there's so much that goes into hole to hole in terms of, are you hitting it close, are you able to tap it in, or you have to mark it, stuff like that, to where, are you holding the group up or are you not, to where it's very hard to make that call."
Despite the earlier criticism he received for an emotional outburst in round one, Thomas has stayed focused. His steady play has silenced the doubters and positioned him as a real contender for the weekend.
Jordan Spieth stays in the hunt as the field tightens
Jordan Spieth himself finished the day at two-over par, tied for 30th place. The miracle shot on the 11th provided one of the few bright moments in what has been a testing week for the 2015 Masters champion. With the cut now made and the final two rounds ahead, both Thomas and Spieth will be looking to build on Friday’s drama when play resumes on Saturday.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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