Leishman, Harman lead at Kapalua
LOS ANGELES: Marc Leishman and Brian Harman both birdied the 18th on Friday to grab a oneshot second-round lead over world number one Dustin Johnson in the PGA Tour Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
Australia’s Leishman, who held a one-stroke overnight lead, had four birdies without a bogey in his four-under 69 on the Plantation Course at Kapalua.
He was joined on 10-under par 136 by America’s Harman, who had seven birdies in a five-under par 68.
The leading duo pulled out of a tie with Johnson, who shook off back-to-back bogeys at the third and fourth holes to card seven birdies in a five-under 68 that left him on 137.
“I got off to a rough start, bogeyed three and four from the middle of the fairway,” Johnson said. “I was hitting some good shots, just didn’t score very well.”
Birdies at six, eight and nine “got me back in the rhythm, and i played a really solid back nine,” he added.
On another breezy day, Leishman notched the only bogeyfree round of the day.
He rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-three second and drained an eight-footer at the parthree eighth. He rolled in another eight-footer for a birdie at the parfour 14th, and at the par-five 18th LONDON: Bath halted a run of three successive Premiership defeats with a comfortable bonus-point victory at Worcester on Friday.
The 46-25 win provided just the lift fifth-placed Bath needed before resuming their European Champions Cup quarter-final quest against Recreation Ground visitors the Scarlets next Friday.
Flankers Paul Grant and Matt Garvey scored tries either side of half-time, before England back Anthony Watson’s try 15 minutes into the second period put 11thplaced Worcester away.
Lock James Phillips and replacement scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’i added further scores before Fotuali’i claimed his second in stoppage time.
Fly-half Rhys Priestland kicked three conversions and two penalties, and Freddie Burns added two conversions, while Worcester replied with a David Denton try against his former club and a late scores from Joe Taufete’e and Perry Humphreys, with Chris Pennell booting 10 points.
Worcester remain 10 points clear of relegation favourites London Irish, but rugby director Alan Solomons’s first home game in charge proved a sobering affair as Bath’s vastly superior running game often left the Warriors floundering.
Bath boss Todd Blackadder hailed “a great response” from his players after they ended their run of defeats. - AFP he missed a 31-footer for eagle by inches and came up with the birdie.
“It was tough,” Leishman said of the windy conditions. “(I’m) really happy with four birdies, no bogeys.
“I feel like when I’m in this position I need to finish it off... but a lot of golf to play.”
Harman’s seven birdies included a chip-in at the 15th -- which came after his first chip failed to reach the green, rolling back toward him. He closed his round with a birdie putt from within four feet at the last.
Americans Pat Perez and Chris Stroud fired seven-under par 66s to join Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas (70) on 138.
Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth also carded a 66, bouncing back from an opening 75 to seize a share of 13th place, five strokes off the lead.
Defending champion Justin Thomas carded a disappointing two-over 75 that left him at even par in the 34-man tournament featuring last season’s tournament winners. - AFP
Bath crush Worcester to stop the rot