The Star Malaysia

WOODS AND MCILROY TOIL AT BRIDGESTON­E

Woods and McIlroy toil but finish within striking distance

- Golf

AKRON (Ohio): Tiger Woods teased his fans with a hot start to his second round at the Bridgeston­e Invitation­al but could not maintain the run in a slightly disappoint­ing day at a venue he has all but owned.

Rory McIlroy also had his issues, misjudging several wedge shots but at day’s end both he and Woods were within striking distance at the World Golf Championsh­ips event.

Woods, an eighttime winner at Firestone Country Club, has not won anywhere since his 2013 victory on the course, which is hosting the event for a final time before it moves to Memphis next year.

After a bad drive led to a bogey at the first hole, he fired up a large gallery with three birdies in the next four holes.

But he picked up only one birdie the rest of the way, at the parthree 12th, where he hit an exquisite draw with a seveniron that nestled within two feet of the cup.

He blamed his underwhelm­ing round on struggling to adjust to the pace of the greens.

“I’m really putting well,” the 42yearold told Golf Channel after a twounder 68 to trail halfway leaders Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Poulter and Justin Thomas by five shots.

“Just didn’t quite hit the putts hard enough today but when I did I made them.”

Two weeks ago, Woods charged into the lead halfway through the final round at the British Open at Carnoustie, until a doubleboge­y at the 11th hole unravelled him.

He eventually finished three shots behind winner Francesco Molinari.

McIlroy also contended at Carnoustie, charging even later than Woods but coming up two shots short.

The Northern Irishman was frustrated on Friday by a series of poor approach shots, until a holed bunker shot at the 17th lifted him. With another birdie at the last, a 67 left him three off the pace.

“I was getting frustrated on the back nine,” he said.

“I was putting it in position where I should have been giving myself birdie chances and I was having to hole fiveandsix­footers for par so I think my patience was rewarded.

“Not that I hit bad wedge shots. My distances were a little bit off.

“I started hitting some better wedge shots coming in and it added up to threeunder somehow so still right there going into the weekend.”

 ?? — AP ?? The controller: Tommy Fleetwood gestures as he watches his putt on the 18th hole during the second round of the Bridgeston­e Invitation­al golf tournament at the Firestone Country Club on Friday.
— AP The controller: Tommy Fleetwood gestures as he watches his putt on the 18th hole during the second round of the Bridgeston­e Invitation­al golf tournament at the Firestone Country Club on Friday.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Malaysia