The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fleetwood charges into share of lead
England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Ian Poulter claimed a share of the clubhouse lead as low scoring continued to be the order of the day in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.
Overnight leader Poulter added a second round of 67 to his opening 62 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, for a halfway total of 11 under par which was matched by compatriot Fleetwood and world number three Justin Thomas.
Fleetwood, who birdied his final two holes on Thursday, fired seven more in a flawless 63 while 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.
“I was just signing my card there and realised I hadn’t had a five and you always remember those rounds,” 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, told Sky Sports.
“I never hit it out of position and think I got away with one bad tee shot where it bounced out of the trees but, apart from that, 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 the moment.
“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-yearold then recorded two more birdies and another bogey on the closing stretch.
“Yesterday was a great score, a pretty flawless round of golf,” Poulter said. “Today wasn’t quite as good with the scoring and a couple of black numbers (bogeys) on the board but I’ve played well and it’s hard to follow shooting 62 with a low number.
“But I’ve put a few birdies on the board and I’m in position.”
American Kyle Stanley had briefly made it a four-way tie for the lead with his fourth birdie of the day on the 11th, only to fourputt the next and then drop another shot on the 13th.
Tiger Woods was putting together another nice round.
The former world number one recovered from an opening bogey to reach seven under for the tournament after 13, three under for the day.
Rory McIlroy was on six under after 14 holes.