The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sharma leads by two shots in WGC debut
Woods announces plans to play next two Florida events.
Success has come quickly for Shubhankar Sharma, and the Mexico Championship is no exception.
Sharma hit a 3-wood that landed on the green and settled 2 feet away for an eagle on the opening hole at Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City. He finished with three straight birdies for a 5-under 66. And in his fifirst World Golf Championship, he takes a two-shot lead into the weekend.
“I worked all my life to come and play at a high stage
like this,” said Sharma, who turned pro when he was 16. “You have to expect great things from yourself if you want to play at a high stage. I just try and not think of anything before I start. I just try and concentrate on the success, and just let things go.”
Sharma overcame a pair of three- putt bogeys early in his round and was at 11-under 131.
Masters champion Sergio Garcia had a 65 and was two shots behind, along with Xan-der Schauffele (66) and Rafa Cabrera Bello (67). Sharma’s greatest asset
is stable mind, and he has not shown any moments of being over whelmed. Even so, there has been a few surreal moments, like at the range before the second round.
Jordan Spieth, the British Open champion and former No. 1 in the world, was hitting balls behind him. And thenwhen Spieth left, world No. 1 Dustin Johnson took his place.
“I couldn’t ask for any---
thing better,” he said.
Schauffele, at wo-time winner as a rookie last year on the PGA Tour, has managed to go bogey-free at Chapultepec over two rounds. Ten players were within four shots of the lead going into the weekend, a group that includes defending champion Dustin Johnson. Woods to play next
week: Tiger Woods is adding another tournament to his schedule on his road to
the Masters.
Woods decided Friday to play in the Valspar Championship next week at Innisbrook Resort near Tampa,
alongwith the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill the followingweek. It was another strong signal about the health of his surgically fused lower back, giving him four tournaments in fifive weeks.
Woods tweeted that he committed to play after a “good recovery week.”
LPGA Tour: Danielle Kang shot an 8-under 64 to take a four-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Women’s World Championship in Singapore. Nelly Korda, whose sister Jessica won the LPGA Tour event in Thailand last week, had a 66 to be tied for second with fellow American Alex Marina (67).
Champions Tour: Scott Dunlap and Tommy Tolles topped the Co lo guard Classic leaderboard at 8-under 65, with Steve Stricker a stroke back in Tucson, Ariz., in a bid for his first PGA Tour Champions title.