Dylan Frittelli dropped from the first page on the leaderboard after battling to set up enough attempts at birdie on day two of the Wells Fargo Championship.
Frittelli’s 74 saw him drop 25 places from third, to sharing 28th, on day that saw him hit just 9 greens in regulation.
The South African rookie was flawless inside 10 feet in round one, but three missed putts inside that mark left him scrambling as he made the turn 3-over par. He would get back to within one of level for his round, with birdies at both of the back nine par-5s, but then slipped again with bogeys at 16 and 17.
Sitting in the 140s in the FedExCup race, Frittelli will be hoping for an improved display with his putter as he looks to keep his playing rights for next season.
Countryman Els missed the cut (74-71), but will be happy with how his putter worked on Friday. The Big Easy hit just 7 of 18 greens, but did not miss a putt within 10 feet.
Jason Dufner moved top of the pack after after a 63 that matched his career-low score on the PGA TOUR as he leads at the halfway mark for the first time since the 2017 Memorial Tournament.
Max Homa and Joel Dahmen are tied for second at -10 with Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed in fourth at -6, and Justin Rose and Jason Day in the next bunch at -5.
First-round co-leader McIlroy kept up stride for stride with Dufner until he dropped three shots over the last two holes. The four-time Major champion made a double bogey with a fat shot out of a bunker and a pitch too strong over the green at No 8, and then went over the green on No 9 for a bogey and a 70.
Even so, he is five behind and still in the mix for a third title at Quail Hollow.
‘I stood up here last night talking about that I got the most out of it yesterday, and today it was the complete opposite. I turned a 66 into a 70,’ McIlroy said. ‘Golf, it’s a funny game, and these things happen.’
Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
