Leishman in total command
Follows 62 with 64 to open 3- shot lead at Conway Farms
Marc Leishman has a short memory when it comes to golf, which only helped him in the second round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms in Lake Forest.
Leishman forgot all about the 9- under- par 62 he shot in the first round Thursday. He was nearly as good with a 7- under 64 on Friday to open a three- shot lead over Jason Day and Rickie Fowler going into the weekend.
‘‘ I really took that as a challenge today, to not take it for granted that you’re just going to make birdies,’’ Leishman said. ‘‘ You still have to earn every birdie. I think when you do get ahead of yourself, that’s when bad stuff can happen.’’
There was plenty of good stuff from the guys chasing him in the third FedEx Cup playoff event.
Day, who has gone 16 months since his last victory, chipped in from behind the 14th green for his second eagle of the week, then added a third eagle with one swing. He made a hole- in- one on the 17th with a 7- iron that turned into a payoff for multiple parties.
It carried Day to a 6- under 65 and put him in the last group Saturday with Leishman. BMW awarded $ 100,000 to the Evans Scholars Foundation, then Day decided to give the car he won to the Evans Scholars, which will yield a full four- year scholarship for another student.
Fowler chipped in for eagle on the par- 4 15th on his way to a 64.
‘‘ The ultimate goal is to win this week,’’ Day said. ‘‘ That’s the thing I’ve been trying to do this whole season— at least win once.’’
Leishman was at 16- under 126, two shots short of the 36- hole record Day set at Conway Farms on his way to a six- stroke victory in 2015. Leishman already has made 18 birdies in 36 holes.
It hasn’t been easy for everyone, particularly defending champion Dustin Johnson. The top- ranked player in the world can’t seem to buy a putt, and he finished bogeybogey after taking two chips to get on the 17th green and hitting into the water on the 18th.
Patrick Cantlay extended his remarkable run this season with a 65, leaving him alone in fourth place, six shots behind. Cantlay returned after three years away to cope with a severe back injury and the death of close friend and caddie Chris Roth, who was hit by a car as they were walking to dinner.
Cantlay is playing in only his 11th tournament this year, but he is 41st in the FedEx Cup and can get into the Tour Championship if he is in the top 30 after this weekend.
Phil Mickelson is trying to work his way into the top 30, too. And while he sputtered with two birdies, two bogeys and too many pars, he put an approach to five feet on the par- 5 14th for an eagle. He shot a 2- under 69 and was tied for 12th at 7- under 135.
Jordan Spieth, who is No. 1 in the FedEx Cup after consecutive runner- up finishes in the playoff events, shot a 1- under 70 and joined Mickelson at 135.
Leishman is hitting his stride at just the right time. He took a two- shot lead into the back nine two weeks ago at the TPC Boston, only to get passed by Justin Thomas and Spieth by shooting a 40 on the back nine. He finished third behind Thomas.