AKRON, OHIO: World No. 1 Jason Day birdied two of the last three holes to seize a one-stroke lead over David Lingmerth after Friday’s second round of the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational.
Australian Day, preparing for the British Open in two weeks and readying to defend his first major title in the PGA Championship at the end of the month, fired a one-under par 69 to stand on four-under 136 after 54 holes at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
Sweden’s Lingmerth was second on 137 with Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and Americans Scott Piercy and William McGirt on 138 and Australia’s Adam Scott joining world number two Jordan Spieth and fellow Americans Kevin Kisner and Justin Thomas on 139.
Day sank a 25-foot birdie putt at the par-4 third hole and opened the back nine with a bogey, three-putting from 16 feet. But he took the lead late with a five-foot birdie putt at the par-5 16th and dropped a 16-footer for birdie from the fringe of the 17th green for a two-stroke edge.
A stumble on 18 trimmed the lead to a single shot, Day missing the green with his approach and errant on a six-foot par putt.
Lingmerth made an astonishing putting run on the front nine, sinking birdie putts of 22 feet at the par-5 second, 60 feet at the par-3 fifth, 18 feet at the par-4 eighth and 26 feet at the par-4 ninth.
But he found a bunker at 11 and missed a 15-foot par putt, answered with a 24-foot birdie putt at 13 only to falter at the finish, finding rough off the tee and coming up short of the green on his approach on the way to a bogey at 18.
“I was scrambling really good and a made a couple nice putts. I scored pretty well. Overall it was a nice day,” Lingmerth said. “I want to sort the swing out. It’s not far off but I want to strike it a little better over the weekend.”
Barr storms into final with solo lead in Taiwan
Australia’s Scott Barr took a solo third-round lead after he carded a four-under-par 68 Saturday at the $500,000 Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in Taiwan.
Joint overnight leader Barr, who is eyeing his maiden Asian Tour title, led off with four birdies in his front-nine at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club.
The 44-year-old remained calm throughout with a three-day total of 13-under-par 203 despite missing two shots on 12 and 13.
“I struggled a little with the driver today but all in all I managed myself well on the golf course,” Barr said at a press conference.
“I started to lose my focus a little in the back-nine. It was a difficult afternoon especially with the back-nine being tougher than the front,” he added.
With a three-shot lead going into the final, he said: “I’m going to attack whenever I can tomorrow and play conservatively when the need calls for it.”
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond rose to second place following a 67 that left him with a three-day total of 206 as he, along with Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung, seeks his first title on the Asian Tour.
“I’ve been playing very well the last three weeks and I’m feeling pretty good about my game,” Janewattananond said.
“The greens here are the hardest part for me here. I just want to play my best.”
Fung carded a stable 68 with a three-day total of 207 that enabled him to share third place with Australia’s Sam Brazel, Thailand’s Pariya Junhasavasdikul and Taiwan’s Hung Chien-yao.
“I’m only a few shots back and if I get a really low score tomorrow, who knows? This could be my week. I believe it’s only a matter of time before I win,” said Fung after mixing his card with three birdies, an eagle and a bogey.
Australian Day, preparing for the British Open in two weeks and readying to defend his first major title in the PGA Championship at the end of the month, fired a one-under par 69 to stand on four-under 136 after 54 holes at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
Sweden’s Lingmerth was second on 137 with Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and Americans Scott Piercy and William McGirt on 138 and Australia’s Adam Scott joining world number two Jordan Spieth and fellow Americans Kevin Kisner and Justin Thomas on 139.
Day sank a 25-foot birdie putt at the par-4 third hole and opened the back nine with a bogey, three-putting from 16 feet. But he took the lead late with a five-foot birdie putt at the par-5 16th and dropped a 16-footer for birdie from the fringe of the 17th green for a two-stroke edge.
A stumble on 18 trimmed the lead to a single shot, Day missing the green with his approach and errant on a six-foot par putt.
Lingmerth made an astonishing putting run on the front nine, sinking birdie putts of 22 feet at the par-5 second, 60 feet at the par-3 fifth, 18 feet at the par-4 eighth and 26 feet at the par-4 ninth.
But he found a bunker at 11 and missed a 15-foot par putt, answered with a 24-foot birdie putt at 13 only to falter at the finish, finding rough off the tee and coming up short of the green on his approach on the way to a bogey at 18.
“I was scrambling really good and a made a couple nice putts. I scored pretty well. Overall it was a nice day,” Lingmerth said. “I want to sort the swing out. It’s not far off but I want to strike it a little better over the weekend.”
Barr storms into final with solo lead in Taiwan
Australia’s Scott Barr took a solo third-round lead after he carded a four-under-par 68 Saturday at the $500,000 Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in Taiwan.
Joint overnight leader Barr, who is eyeing his maiden Asian Tour title, led off with four birdies in his front-nine at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club.
The 44-year-old remained calm throughout with a three-day total of 13-under-par 203 despite missing two shots on 12 and 13.
“I struggled a little with the driver today but all in all I managed myself well on the golf course,” Barr said at a press conference.
“I started to lose my focus a little in the back-nine. It was a difficult afternoon especially with the back-nine being tougher than the front,” he added.
With a three-shot lead going into the final, he said: “I’m going to attack whenever I can tomorrow and play conservatively when the need calls for it.”
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond rose to second place following a 67 that left him with a three-day total of 206 as he, along with Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung, seeks his first title on the Asian Tour.
“I’ve been playing very well the last three weeks and I’m feeling pretty good about my game,” Janewattananond said.
“The greens here are the hardest part for me here. I just want to play my best.”
Fung carded a stable 68 with a three-day total of 207 that enabled him to share third place with Australia’s Sam Brazel, Thailand’s Pariya Junhasavasdikul and Taiwan’s Hung Chien-yao.
“I’m only a few shots back and if I get a really low score tomorrow, who knows? This could be my week. I believe it’s only a matter of time before I win,” said Fung after mixing his card with three birdies, an eagle and a bogey.
