Spieth maintains lead in Travelers tourney
CROMWELL, Conn. — Jordan Spieth played well enough in the second round of the Travelers Championship to stay in the lead. Rory McIlroy played just well enough to stay in the tournament.
Spieth shot a 1-under 69 on Friday morning, then watched as a windy afternoon kept anyone from overtaking him. The conditions also kept fourth-ranked Jason Day from making the cut for a second straight week. He bogeyed the 18th for a 70 to finish at 2-over. No. 3 McIlroy shot a 73, also closing with a bogey, but managed to just sneak into the weekend at even par.
Spieth, who began the day one shot ahead after a first-round 63, started on the back nine. The 23-year-old Texan had to recover from a double bogey on the par-5 13th hole after hitting his tee shot left and out-of-bounds. He also had four birdies and a bogey to reach 8 under.
“We've been kind of far behind in a lot of the events in making comeback runs,” said Spieth, the two-time major champion who tied for 35th last week in the U.S. Open. “But being able to be toward the front of the pack on a Saturday afternoon is a beautiful position to be in and one that we'll certainly embrace. I'm going to try to have a lot of fun this weekend.”
Patrick Reed (66) and Troy Merritt (68) were tied for second. Both fought off wind gusts that exceeded 20 mph to hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens.
U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka isn’t in Connecticut this week, but former Florida State teammate Chase Seiffert is in contention. The 25-year-old had to qualify Monday to get into the tournament. He made two eagles Friday and finished with a 66 to reach 6 under.
“I came into the week with no status on any tour, but I knew my game was really good,” Seiffert said. “I just had to get it done. To come out and play the first two rounds the way I did, it gives me a lot of confidence.”
Wesley Bryan (67), Daniel Summerhays (68) and Boo Weekley (68) also were 5 under.
Eighty-five players made the cut and 68 finished within seven shots of the lead.
McIlroy may have saved his tournament on the 13th. After hitting his first shot in the water and taking a drop, he hit his third shot to 17 feet and made par. He then putted in from off the green on 14. McIlroy, who didn't qualify for the weekend at Erin Hills, hasn't missed consecutive cuts since 2012.
Sung Hyun Park nearly matched the course record with an 8-under 63 on Friday to take the first-round lead in the NW Arkansas Championship.
The South Korean, ranked eighth in the world in her first full season on the LPGA Tour, finished with nine birdies and needed only 24 putts to take a twoshot lead over Mel Reid, Ally McDonald and So Yeon Ryu.
MUNICH — Joakim Lagergren and Joel Stalter took the lead at the BMW International Open at 9-under at the midway point Friday, one stroke ahead of former champions Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson. Lagergren (66) had eight birdies and two bogeys for a 6-under in the second round. Stalter (68) soon joined him for a share of the lead. Both are bidding for their first European Tour title.
MADISON, Wis. — Paul Broadhurst is the leader after the first round of the PGA Champions Tour stop in Wisconsin. Broadhurst shot a 9-under 63 in the American Family Insurance Championship for a two-shot lead over Brian Henninger.