Doral playing like a real monster for golf’s best
DORAL, Fla. — J. B . Holmes kept his lead. Rory McIlroy lost his cool.
Holmes was 11 shots worse than his tournament record-tying 62, finishing with a tee shot in the water and a double bogey on the 18th hole Friday for a 1-over 73. That still was enough to take a twoshot lead over Ryan Moore (71) into the weekend at the Cadillac Championship.
McI l roy made the wrong kind of splash at Trump National Doral — first with a shot, then with his club.
On a wild afternoon of eagles, birdies and big numbers at every turn, McIlroy produced the biggest highlight when he pulled his 3-iron into the water on the par-5 eighth, and then heaved the club some 50 yards into the middle of the lake.
“Felt good at the time,” McIlroy said. “Look, I just let frustration get the better of me.”
McIlroy managed to salvage a bogey, made three birdies on the back nine and shot a 2-under 70 to stay in the hunt at this World Golf Championship. He was still eight shots behind Holmes, though the Blue Monster is a tough course for anyone to protect a lead.
It didn’t take much to get into trouble.
Holmes began the second round with a 360-yard drive and a 6-iron onto the green at the par 5. It rolled into the water, and he made his first bogey of the tournament. His approach on the third hole came up just enough short to go into the water for another bogey. And his tee shot on the 18th was pulled just enough for another splash. He at least countered with five birdies to stay in the lead. Holmes was at 9-under 135. He was more irritated by the bogey on No. 1 than the double bogey at the end of his round, and what set him off was a reminder than he thought the old Blue Monster was too easy for a World Golf Championship.
“There’s a difference between easy and hitting two perfect shots and the ball going in the water,” Holmes said. “That’s a joke. I hit a 6-iron straight up in the air, it landed 3 feet off the left of the green and 5 feet on it and it goes in the water on the right side of the green. That’s not hard. That’s stupid. That’s unfair.”
PGA
Cejka leads by 1
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — Alex Cejka birdied three of his last five holes for a 5-under 67 and a one-stroke lead in the PGA Tour’s windswept Puerto Rico Open.
Cejka, 44, birdied Nos. 5, 7 and 9 in a bogey-free round to reach 7-under 137 at Trump International-Puerto Rico. A four-time European Tour winner, the Czech-born German is winless on the PGA Tour.
“I like it here,” Cejka said. “I’ve been coming here for a lot of years. … My short game is great. I make a lot of putts when I need to and I’m in a great position right now.”
He has made only one bogey in 36 holes.
Brandon Hagy, making his third PGA Tour start was second after making birdie on his final hole for a 67.
Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo was third at 5 under after a 70.
Defending champion Chesson Hadley topped the group at 3 under after a 70. Glen Day (Little Rock) had five birdies and a bogey for a 68 and is also 3 under going into the weekend.
First-round leader Mark Hubbard followed his opening 68 with a 74 to drop to 2 under. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) had five birdies and three bogeys for a 2-under 70 and is 2 under for the opening two rounds.
Bryce Molder (Conway) had four birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey for a 1-over 73 (151), but failed to make the cut.
LPGA
Ciganda, Park tied
SINGAPORE — Carlota Ciganda shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to move into a tie for the lead with Inbee Park after the second round of the HSBC Women’s Champions.
Ciganda offset two bogeys with eight birdies at Sentosa Golf Club to finish even with Park (69) at 9-under 135.
Azahara Munoz was in sole possession of third place, two strokes back, after a 67 that featured six birdies against a lone bogey.
Ciganda, who is bidding for her first LPGA victory, got off to a shaky start with a bogey on the par-4 first hole. But she quickly recovered with two consecutive birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 that set her on the way to the day’s lowest score.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko birdied three of the last four holes en route to a 70 that put the 17-year-old in a tie for fourth with Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks), Jenny Shin and Karrie Webb at 6 under.
Defending champion Paula Creamer was tied for 36th after a 71. Michelle Wie had a 70 that included three bogeys, three birdies and an eagle and is tied for 23rd with money rankings leader Amy Yang.
Overnight co-leader Yani Tseng struggled and finished with a 75 for a share of 17th place.
EUROPEAN PGA
Ford out front
EAST LONDON, South Africa — Matt Ford opened a one-shot lead at the Africa Open after a 6-under 66 in the second round.
Ford didn’t repeat his bogey-free first round, but still went one better than his opening 67 after making six birdies and holing out for an eagle on the par-4 No. 12. He also made two bogeys to reach 11-under 133 at East London Golf Club.
The Englishman shared the first-lead with Kevin Phelan, but the Irishman tumbled down the leaderboard after a 72. Instead, Spaniard Eduardo de la Riva was a shot behind Ford in second after also carding a 66 with eight birdies and two bogeys.
Both are seeking to end a seven-year winning run by South African golfers at the European Tour event.
South African pair Jaco van Zyl and Erik van Rooyen and France’s Gregory Havret were three shots off the lead going into the weekend.
WEB.COM
Wind halts play
CARTAGENA, Colombia — High winds during the second round of the Karibana Championship resulted in suspended play Friday afternoon.
Jamie Lovemark and Miguel Angel Carballo were tied with John Mallinger for the clubhouse lead at TPC Cartagena.
Sebastian Cappelen (Arkansas Razorbacks) had five birdies for a 5-under 67 and is 4 under heading into the weekend. Zach Fischer (Little Rock) had six birdies and four bogeys for a 2-under 70 and is 1 under going into the weekend.
Andrew Landry (Razorbacks) was unable to complete his round because of the high wind.