RBC Heritage Round 2: Justin Thomas Grinds Out a 69 and Takes a Two-Shot Lead Into the Weekend

Thursday was a sprint. Friday at Harbour Town was a grind, and Justin Thomas still found a way to finish it in front.

Thomas shot a 2-under 69 to reach 12-under 130 and carry a two-shot lead into the weekend at the RBC Heritage. Si Woo Kim (64) and Russell Henley (68) are tied for second at 10 under. Andrew Novak (65) and Tommy Fleetwood (66) are three back at 9 under, and Scottie Scheffler (70) and Mackenzie Hughes (66) sit four behind at 8 under. It is the first time Thomas has led after 36 holes in more than four years.

From 61 to Hard Work

After a course-record-tying 61, a 69 can look like a letdown on paper. It was not. The course firmed up, the back nine turned crusty and breezy, and nobody was going to repeat Thursday's birdie barrage. Thomas made four birdies and two bogeys, and for a stretch of the afternoon he did not have the lead at all.

He got it back with two swings of real quality. At the 13th, he hit a wedge to the front of the green and holed a 15-footer for birdie. Two holes later, at the par-5 15th, he ripped a 3-wood from 287 yards onto the green and two-putted for another birdie, a shot the PGA TOUR named its Shot of the Day. Three pars to finish, and Thomas was back on top.

Thomas has been candid all week about where his head has been during a winless run that dates to the 2022 PGA Championship. "The majority of it has just been pressing and trying too hard," Thomas said, per the AP. "That's really been my key this week is I'm just trying to really trust my game and commit to what I'm doing," he added, per Sky Sports.

A New Voice on the Bag

There is a twist to the week. Thomas is working with a fill-in caddie, Joe Greiner, while his regular looper, Matt Minister, recovers from a back injury. The two are figuring it out together on the fly. "He's still getting used to everything as much as I am," Thomas said, per the AP.

So far, so good.

Si Woo Kim Turns Frustration Into Fuel

The round of the day belonged to Kim, and for a while it looked like it might challenge Thursday's magic number. Kim reached 8 under for the day through 12 holes, fueled by an eagle at the par-5 5th after a 3-wood from 275 yards and a run of four straight birdies around the turn that included a 15-footer at the 11th. The momentum stalled coming home, and Kim settled for a 64. It put Kim in the final group with Thomas on Saturday.

Kim did not play the Masters, and watching it stung. "I got so frustrated last week watching the Masters, but somehow I got to move on," Kim said, per the AP.

Henley, meanwhile, did what Henley does. A steady 68 kept him tied for second, with very little drama.

Scheffler's Day of Little Things

Scheffler did not play badly, but Friday was a reminder of how thin the margins are at Harbour Town. At the par-5 5th, a mud ball sent his approach out of position and he three-putted for bogey. At the 8th, a tree got in the way and cost him another shot. He played the back nine in all pars, per Sky Sports, and signed for 70.

"Just little stuff like that that can turn your day the wrong way," Scheffler said, per the AP.

The defending champion, whose season started a month late because of a hand injury, is still looking for his first win of the year. He was not panicking. "I fought pretty hard today and hung in there well to be four back on the weekend," Scheffler said.

The Crowd Behind the Leader

Novak's 65 and Fleetwood's 66 moved both into a tie for fourth. Fleetwood's day included one moment of pure Hilton Head chaos: a tee shot that, per Sky Sports, landed in the folded arms of a spectator. Hughes matched that 66 to join Scheffler at 8 under.

Behind them, a five-way tie at 7 under includes Collin Morikawa, who shot 66, Brian Harman (69) and Wyndham Clark (70). Six players are within four shots of the lead, which tells you how open this still is.

The Weekend Picture

This is a signature event with no 36-hole cut, so all 72 players are back on Saturday. The ones who matter most are packed tight. Thomas has the lead, a two-shot cushion and a game plan built around trust. Kim has the hottest round of the day and nothing to lose. Henley has the steadiness, and Scheffler has the track record of the No. 1 player in the world.

A two-shot lead at Harbour Town can disappear in a couple of holes. Thomas earned his spot at the top on Friday the hard way. Now he has to do it again.

Catch up on Thursday in our Round 1 recap. Full scoring is on the official PGA TOUR leaderboard (opens in a new tab), and the PGA TOUR's Round 2 recap (opens in a new tab) has more.

Sources: PGA TOUR, AP, Sky Sports. More golf coverage on Undrafted.

Photo: PGA TOUR.