Todd fires 65, leads by two
Brendon Todd's putter is more than making up for any lack of power off the tee at the World Golf Championship in Memphis.
Todd shot a 5-under 65 Friday and grabbed a two-stroke lead through 36 holes of the FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
“I have not hit the ball as crisply the first two days and maybe some other tournaments this year, but I've probably putted the best of any tournament this year so far,” Todd said. “I'm really excited about how I played and looking forward to the opportunity this weekend.”
Todd trailed defending champion Brooks Koepka after the first round by two strokes. He quickly erased that deficit and took the lead to himself with a bogey-free, fivebirdie round for a 129 total at the World Golf Championships event at TPC Southwind.
Rickie Fowler closed with birdies on his final two holes for a 67 and 131 total just behind Todd thanks to his own putter.
Koepka had the lead to himself at 10 under before falling apart on his back nine with a double bogey and two bogeys. He finished with a 71, his first time over par at this course in seven rounds.
He was four strokes back, tied with Byeong Hun An (65) and Chez Reavie (67).
LPGA Tour: Danielle Kang went more than six months without competing and looked as though she had never been away, playing bogeyfree at Inverness Club for a 6-under 66 and a one-shot lead in the Drive On Championship in Toledo, Ohio.
The LPGA Tour's much-awaited return from the COVID-19 pandemic brought an immediate sense of its new world. Kang had no idea where she stood after a closing birdie.
“There aren't any leader boards on the golf course,” Kang said.
Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England also played bogey-free for a 67.