Walker weathers storms, leads by two

Jimmy Walker endured rain delays of nearly five hours and shot a 5under 65 on Friday to build a two-shot lead at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

Walker finally saw some good results in a year marked by coping with Lyme disease and bouts of fatigue. The timing couldn’t be better for Walker, who defends his PGA Championship title next week.

He made birdie from short range on both par 3s on the back nine at Firestone and finished two rounds at 7-under 133.

Thomas Pieters of Belgium missed a 6-foot birdie chance on the 18th hole and shot 70. He was two shots behind.

Rory McIlroy had a 69 and was among those three shots behind, while Jordan Spieth finished with two straight birdies and was four behind.

Jason Day, winless in nearly 15 months, also got back into the picture despite some mild back pain. He opened with three straight birdies and shot

30 on the front nine to get back near the leaders, though two bogeys on the back nine slowed him and he shot 66. He was in the group at 137. LPGA Tour: I.K. Kim emerged from the cold and wet with a 4-under 68 to build a two-shot lead in the Women’s British Open going into the weekend in St. Andrews, Scotland.

A two-time winner on the LPGA Tour over the last two months, Kim dropped only one shot in some of the worst conditions at Kingsbarns Links and reached the halfway point at 11-under 133. She was two shots clear of Lexi Thompson and Georgia Hall of England.

First-round leader Michelle Wie did not fare so well. The 27-year old American made only one birdie in a 76 that leaves her seven shots off the pace.

Tour Champions: Twotime tournament winner Kenny Perry shot a 7-under 65 to hold a share of the lead after the first round of the 3M Championship in Blaine, Minn.

Perry, who won in Minnesota in 2014 and 2015, opened his round with six consecutive birdies. He finished with another one to join Mike Goodes atop the leader board at TPC Twin Cities.

Madison’s Steve Stricker opened with a 69. Jerry Kelly of Madison and Fox Point native Skip Kendall each had a 73.

Symetra Tour: Marion Ricrodeau fired a 6-under 66 and held a one stroke lead over Rachel Rohanna after the first round of the PHC Classic at Brown Deer Park.