CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jhonattan Vegas is a 40-year-old living, breathing example that anything is possible regardless of your background.

Vegas’ backstory is an amazing one. Growing up in Venezuela, he used to hit rocks with a broomstick to simulate a real golf club and ball.

His father grew up near a golf course and picked up the game by doing some caddying. When Vegas was born, his family lived near a nine-hole golf course owned by oil companies in the area and he had access to it.

“Venezuelans, we’re not known for being golfers,’’ Vegas said Friday after he built a two-shot 36-hole lead in the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. “But I’ve been blessed, and here I am.’’

This is where Vegas is: in unfamiliar territory … in position to win a major championship.

Entering this week’s PGA, Vegas had played 16 career majors and missed the cut in 10 of them without posting a single top 20 finish.

Now, after two rounds of this PGA, he leads the tournament at 8-under par after following his opening-round 64 with a 1-under 70 on Friday.

This is a long way from hitting rocks with a broomstick in a dusty backyard.

“As a kid, I would hit anything that I could find — rocks, broomstick, everything,’’ Vegas said. “I would grab anything that I could swing and I would do it. I feel like I was a good athlete as a young kid, so that’s kind of how things started.’’

Vegas leads 2022 U.S. Open winner Matthew Fitzpatrick, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon and Korean Si Woo Kim, all of whom are 6-under.

Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 ranked player, is lurking at 5-under par after shooting 68 Friday, as is Max Homa, who posted the low round of the day and week at 64.

Alex Smalley, the last player in the field as an alternate, is 4-under, as are Ryan Fox, J.T. Poston, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Michael Thorbjornsen and several others.

When Vegas, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, held the lead after the first round, he became the first Venezuelan player ever to hold the lead after any round in a major championship.

“That means a lot,’’ Vegas said. “This is kind of what we put all those hours for — to give yourself chances like this. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to do it throughout my career, but you never know. You’ve got to keep the pedal down, keep your head down, and keep working hard.

“You never know when things are going to turn your way. I know I have the game to compete in these big events.’’

Vegas cruised into the 18th hole Friday with a four-shot lead and proceeded to take a sloppy double bogey despite hitting his tee shot onto the fairway. It was the only real blemish in his otherwise stellar round.

“I can’t really get too down on myself for the double on 18, even though I wish I didn’t take that,’’ he said. “I managed my game really well on a tough day. Every chance you get to lead a major and play with the lead is never easy. I feel proud of a solid round.

“I’ve got to remember all the good stuff and repeat it the next two days. Our brains like to scramble and go places that don’t take you to good places. It’s cliché, but we do so much training on taking one shot at time for moments like this. You just hope your brain remembers how to do that.’’

Vegas hasn’t held a 36-hole lead of any sort since the 2019 John Deere Classic, where he finished tied for 37th with 76-69 on the weekend.

Now comes the hard part.

Vegas actually got a massive break on the 17th hole, a long par-3, when his tee shot that appeared going wayward hit a rake and stayed on the green instead of bounding into the nearby lake. He two-putted for a gift par to keep his round going.

“It was a shock, for sure,’’ Vegas said of the rake break. “It’s just part of the game, and you’ve just got to enjoy it all.’’

Vegas, with some health issues, including shoulder surgery, has missed some majors because of that, which he termed “very, very annoying, especially knowing I have the game to compete in these big events.’’

“I feel like my game is very complete, but I just haven’t been able to put it all together in a major,’’ he said. “Unfortunately, it’s taking me a little bit longer than usual, but I’m glad that I’m in this position right now.’’

Asked, if he could go back in time, what he would say to his younger self, Vegas said, “Just keep dreaming … because that’s the only thing that can keep you going. Believing and dreaming is what keeps you going.’’