Stenson matches Walker and Reed for lead at PGA

SPRINGFIELD, United States: British Open champion Henrik Stenson grabbed a share of the lead in Friday’s second round of the PGA Championship with an eagle and two birdies in a five-hole run.

The fifth-ranked Swede matched Americans Patrick Reed, who has six birdies and a bogey in round two, and Jimmy Walker, who fired a five-under par 65 in Thursday’s opening round and has not teed off yet.

Rain-soaked Baltusrol, where play was halted for 41 minutes when morning showers left the course unplayable in areas, was surrendering low scores to star shot-makers.

Stenson, who opened with a 67, began on the back nine and made bogeys at 12 and 13 but answered with an eagle at the par-5 18th and birdies at the second and fourth holes.

Reed, whose best major finish was a share of 12th at the British Open two weeks ago, went four-under on the back nine and then birdied the second to reach five-under.

He dropped back with a four-foot par miss at the third hole for his first bogey of the round but sank a four-footer for birdie at five to rejoin the leaders.

Reed sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the 11th, a six-footer at 14 and then drained a mammoth 40-footer to birdie the 15th. After finding a bunker on his approach at 18, he blasted out inches from the cup for a tap-in birdie.

Jordan Spieth, one of the favorites com- ing into the PGA Championship, shot a 4-under 32 on the back nine moving him one shot behind first-round leader Jimmy Walker.

Spieth, who shot 70 in the opening round, started and ended his first nine holes with two birdies. He added another on the par-4 13th. His lone blemish was a bogey 4 on No. 12.

The other members of his group, Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson, weren’t able to get their rounds going. Garcia had a 3-over 38 and was at 3 over for the tournament, while Watson had a 35 and was even for the tournament.

Gary Woodland, one of the Tour’s long hitters, went from his worst hole to his best in a hurry. Playing the front nine after a 1-under 35 on the back Woodland had a triple-bogey 7 on No. 1. He didn’t wait long to erase the bad feeling, holing out from the fairway for an eagle 2 on the 430-yard second. That put him at 3 over for the PGA Championship.

Andrew “Beef” Johnston, the Englishman who has become a crowd favorite with his constant smile and bushy beard, moved into the Top Ten for the PGA Championship with a 2-under 34 on the back nine. Johnston, 88th in the world rankings, birdied both par-5s on the back nine and was 2 under, three shots off the lead.

Due to the morning rain delay, the PGA of America announced that afternoon tee times will be pushed back 45 minutes.