Reed builds a 2-shot lead
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. >> Patrick Reed’s place in the Ryder Cup is looking better with each round at The Barclays, and so are his prospects of winning.
Even with a careless finish Friday at Bethpage Black, Reed rode a fast start to a 3-under 68 and a two-shot lead over Emiliano Grillo and Rickie Fowler going into the weekend of the opening FedEx Cup playoff event.
The Barclays is the final tournament for Americans to earn one of the eight automatic spots on the Ryder Cup team. Reed, who has gone 55 tournaments worldwide since his last victory, came into the week at No. 8.
At the moment, longer a concern.
“Really, I’m going into this week trying to win a golf tournament,” Reed said. “If I take care of me and do what I need to do this week, then Ryder Cup will take care of itself. So I’m not going into this week looking at it as, ‘Oh, I need to do this for the Ryder Cup.’ I’m going in this to think, ‘All right, I need to go win a golf tournament.”’ Reed was at 8-under 134. Fowler mostly likely needs third place alone to have any chance of qualifying for the Ryder Cup, and he has done his part. He played bogey-free in the sweltering heat, though still missing plenty of birdie chances. Par is never bad on the Black Course, however, and Fowler shot a 69.
“Any time you can go bogey-free out here at this place, it’s good golf,” Fowler said. “Feel very good about my that’s no ball-striking and tee-to-green right now. See if we can get some more putts to go in.”
Ryan Moore (68) was three shots behind, while defending champion Jason Day (70) and Jordan Spieth (67) were four back.
Dredge leads in Denmark
FARSOE, DENMARK >> Bradley Dredge hit five birdies in the front nine and finished with a 5-under 66 as he surged to a three-shot lead amid windy conditions at the Made In Denmark tournament.
The Welshman, runner-up in 2014, bogeyed the 13th before finishing the second round with a birdie and four pars.
NASCAR: Logano wins another pole
BROOKLYN, MICH. >> Joey Logano won the pole for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.
It’s Logano’s third pole in 16 Cup races at MIS, and the previous two times he won the pole, he also went on to win the race. That includes his victory at Michigan in June.
Logano won with a lap of 201.698 mph in his No. 22 Ford. Jimmie Johnson was second in qualifying for Sunday’s race, followed by Denny Hamlin.
Logano has won 17 poles in his Cup career and three in 2016.
Formula 1: Hamilton penalized again
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, BELGIUM >> Max Verstappen posted the fastest time ahead of Red Bull teammate Daniel Riccirado in the second practice session of the Belgian Grand Prix, while another engine penalty ensured Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday’s race from the back row.
Hamilton took a 15-place grid penalty in the morning session for having changed too many engine parts, and took another 15-place hit following another component change.
He won’t be the only illustrious name at the back of the class, with two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso handed a 35-place grid penalty for multiple component changes following a water leak in first practice.
Tennis: Svitolina moves into final
NEW HAVEN, CONN. >> Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina beat Sweden’s Johanna Larsson 6-4, 6-2 to move into the final of the Connecticut Open, the last women’s tuneup before the U.S. Open.
The match began with three consecutive service breaks before Svitolina, 21, found her touch and took control.
The 10th seed broke Larsson at love in the fifth game of the second set and cruised from there.