Louis Oosthuizen has come agonisingly close to a second major championship title several times over the past decade, and he is in contention once again at the US PGA Championship.
The South African shot a 68 Friday under difficult conditions at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island to share the second-round lead with Phil Mickelson at five under par.
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Now more than a decade removed from his 2010 Open Championship triumph, the 38-year-old said he has grown more confident in his ability to handle the pressure that comes with contending for a major over the weekend.
"Look, anyone playing last group or second to last group ... it'll be nervous. You'll be a little nervous," Oosthuizen said.
"But I know that, and I know how to deal with it or know what I have to do.
"I am definitely more comfortable playing in majors now than before.
"Hitting it well and knowing your game is there, it makes it a little less stress, but you still need to hit the shots and play in the moment and play well."
With his 5th birdie of the day, @Louis57TM is the new solo leader at -6.
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 21, 2021
Full Leaderboard: https://t.co/QV8fkpw4hG#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/mGM3Zpz6mn
He did that throughout his round Friday, carding birdies on three of the first six holes before taking a share of the lead after a lovely chip to kick-in distance on the 11th, then taking sole ownership of the lead with a birdie at 12.
A bogey on 18 was the only blemish on his scorecard, but he had no complaints about his round overall.
"Drove it as good as I can drive it, and ball-striking was pretty good with the irons," he said. "With really windy conditions, you need that ball-striking to be on song."
Oosthuizen figures to need more of the same in the final two rounds as he looks to get over the hump and return to major glory.
Since that stunning win at St Andrews, he has finished second or tied for second four times at major championships -- once at each -- falling in play-offs to Bubba Watson at the 2012 Masters and Zach Johnson at the 2015 Open.
"I don't think it's a case of not being able to or thinking that I can't get the second," he said. "It's just both times I was outplayed.
"Look, it'll be great to get a second major. There's a lot of golf left, and I just feel whenever I get to a major, I sort of have my game where I want to have it, and mentally I feel very strong at a major week."
