Hossler, two others tied for PGA lead
Beau Hossler has been hanging around the lead on the weekend in search of his first PGA Tour victory, and he gets another chance at the Quicken Loans National. So does Tiger Woods. Hossler, the 23-year-old in his first full year on the tour, birdied four of his last five holes and finished with a 35-foot birdie putt on No. 18 for a 4-under 66, giving him a share of the lead with Ryan Armour and Brian Gay in Potomac, Md. Armour (65) and Gay (64) each made short birdies on the par-3 ninth hole to finish their rounds.
Woods finished a steamy morning on the TPC Potomac at Avenel with two pars that felt just as big. On a day in which he made seven birdies, he didn’t let a good round go to waste. He saved par from the bunker on the eighth and ninth holes for a 65. That matched his low score of the year and left him four shots behind, the closest he’s been going into the weekend since he was two shots back at the Valspar Championship.
Hossler has at least a share of the 36-hole lead for the third time this year. He’s shot in the 60s in 21 of his last 38 rounds. The leaders were at 9under 131, one shot ahead of Francesco Molinari (65) and Billy Horschel (68). Woods was among 20 players separated by four shots going into the weekend.
Champions: Jerry Kelly took a one-shot lead over Miguel Angel Jimenez into the weekend at the U.S. Senior Open in Colorado Springs, Colo. Kelly chipped in for birdie on No. 18 to highlight his round of 1-under 69. He’s at 5 under at the halfway point. Jimenez is hoping to add this senior major to the Regions Tradition he won in May. He shot a bogey-free round of 68, hitting 17 greens in regulation but sinking only a pair of birdie putts on the Broadmoor’s tricky greens. Another shot back is Tim Petrovic, whose 65 was the best round of the day.
European Tour: Marcus Kinhult of Sweden carded a 6-under 65 for a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the French Open. He finished with a 6-under total of 136, two clear of Chris Wood (68).
LPGA: Lydia Ko surged into contention at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, shooting a 6-under 66 in the second round to move two strokes off the lead at Kildeer, Ill. The New Zealander, 21, shook off a rough first round at Kemper Lakes to reach 4 under and give herself a shot to win her third major. Firstround leader Sung Hyun Park (72), 2016 winner Brooke Henderson (71) and So Yeon Ryu (69) were tied for the lead at 6-under 138. Carlota Ciganda (69) was one stroke back, with Ko, Moriya Jutanugarn (72) and Annie Park (69) at 4 under. Top-ranked Inbee Park (76) missed the cut at 5 over 149.