Tiger shoots 64 to take 2-stroke lead
INZAI CITY, JAPAN >> Tiger Woods produced a round that would have had the spectators roaring.
Teeing off in front of empty stands, Woods shot a second straight 6-under 64 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over Gary Woodland after the second round of the rain-hit Zozo Championship.
“I’m surprised that I was able to score as well as I have, usually that takes a little bit of time,” Woods said. “But this golf course is a little bit on the softer side. I’ve been able to strike my irons pretty well this week so far and that’s been nice.”
Organizers of the PGA Tour’s first tournament in Japan took the unusual step of closing the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club course to spectators for Saturday’s second round over safety concerns.
“Today was just one of those days where we did this at Congressional one year when the derecho (storm) came through there and it was just like a ghost town,” Woods said. “This was a little bit different. When you make a putt and you kind of put your hand up, you’re like, hmm, don’t really need to put your hand up because there’s no one clapping.”
It was in stark contrast to Thursday’s opening round when huge crowds followed the American.
Torrential rain washed out play on Friday causing the second round to be moved to Saturday after the course took on more than eight inches of rain. Flooding and mudslides in towns in the surrounding area left at least nine people dead, expanding damage in areas still recovering from recent typhoons.
With the course in remarkably good condition, Woods picked up where he left off after a 64 in Thursday’s opening round with a birdie on the first hole. It was one of seven birdies on the day that gave him a
36-hole total of 12-under 128, two shots ahead of Woodland (66).
Local favorite Hideki Matsuyama and Keegan Bradley were tied for third at 8 under. Bradley shot a 63 that included eight birdies against a lone bogey while Matsuyama had a 67.
Woods is making his first start in his 23rd season on the PGA Tour, needing one victory to reach
82 wins and tie the career record held by Sam Snead.
Woods last played in an official tournament in Japan in 2006 at the Dunlop Phoenix, where he lost in a playoff to Padraig Harrington. He won the Dunlop Phoenix the two previous years.
South Korean players lead at LPGA tournament
BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA >> South Koreans
Somi Lee and Seung Yeon Lee were tied for the third-round lead Saturday at the Buick Ladies Championship.
Somi Lee shot 67 and Yeon Lee
68 and had 54-hole totals of 13-under 203. Ha Na Jang was in third place, a stroke behind, after a 68.
Amy Yang (67), Busan-born Australian Su Oh (67) and secondround leader Danielle Kang (71) were two strokes behind.