Flawless Fleetwood keeps it all low key
Birdie blitz as Tommy hits 63 to match early pacesetter Poults
TOMMY FLEETWOOD and Ian Poulter grabbed a share of the clubhouse lead as the low scoring continued in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Overnight leader Poulter added a second-round 67 to his opening 62 at Firestone Country Club for a halfway total of 11-under 129.
That was matched by fellow Englishman Fleetwood and world No.3 Justin Thomas.
Fleetwood – who birdied his final two holes on Thursday – fired seven more yesterday in a flawless 63.
And American Thomas, who will defend his US PGA Championship title at Bellerive Country Club next week, birdied five of his last eight holes in a 64.
Fleetwood – who also shot 63 in the final round of the US Open earlier this season to finish just a shot behind champion Brooks Koepka – said: “I was just signing my card there and realised I hadn’t had a five and you always remember those rounds.
“I never hit it out of position BY DALE RANKIN and think I got away with one bad tee shot where it bounced out of the trees.
“But apart from that I played lovely, putted really nice and just picked them off. It’s a driver’s golf course so you have to drive it well.
“I came off yesterday and I couldn’t believe how good the scoring was. It just shows how high the standard of golf is at.
“You’re always one bad tee shot away from making a bogey but the course has played really soft so the further up the fairway you can get it to be able to control it and take spin off makes a big difference.
“If you hit it long and straight it’s never going to do you any harm, especially around here.”
Poulter picked up shots on the third, eighth and 11th before dropping his first shot of the week on the 12th. The 42-year-old then recorded two more birdies and another bogey on the closing stretch.
He said: “Yesterday was a great score, a pretty flawless round of golf.
“But I’ve put a few birdies on the board and I’m in position.”
American Kyle Stanley briefly made it a four-way tie for the lead on the 11th, only to fourputt the next on the way to 68.
Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum shot a five-under 67 at the Women’s British Open to secure the halfway lead on 10 under at Royal Lytham, one stroke ahead of a group that includes England’s Georgia Hall (68).
Scot Catriona Matthew shot 70 for three under.