Walker has two-stroke lead on wet Ohio course

AKRON, OHIO The sun finally came out, and Jimmy Walker saw a glimpse of what he hopes are brighter days ahead.

In a year marked by coping with Lyme disease and bouts of fatigue, Walker endured rain delays of nearly five hours Friday and posted a 5-under 65 for a two-shot lead going into the weekend at the Bridgestone Invitational.

The timing couldn’t be better for Walker, who goes to Quail Hollow next week to defend his title in the PGA Championship.

“It hadn’t been a lot of fun this year,” Walker said. “But it’s nice to see some putts go in and make some solid swings and keep rounds going, make par putts, just the stuff I haven’t been doing.”

He was at 7-under 133, two shots ahead of Thomas Pieters of Belgium, who shot a 70.

Walker didn’t have a lot going last year until he finished well in the Canadian Open, then went wire-to-wire the next week to win the PGA Championship. Maybe there’s another spark he can find at Firestone Country Club.

“There’s still a lot of golf on a hard course, but I know it’s there,” he said.

He also has a slew of players not far behind him in this World Golf Championship. Rory McIlroy put together a steady round of 69 and is three shots back, along with Zach Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama, who each shot 67.

The large group at 3-under 137 includes Jordan Spieth, going after his third straight victory. Spieth was slipping behind when he faced an awkward lie from the edge of a bunker on 17. Stumbling out of the sand backward, he nearly holed the shot and made birdie, then birdied 18 to salvage a 70.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., is also four shots back after a 69. Mackenzie Hughes of Hamilton is 8-over.