Saturday, August 01, 2015

Tiger in contention with a 66

GAINESVILLE, Virginia (AP) -- Tiger Woods showed a rare flash of anger on a mostly stress-free day when his second shot on the eighth hole failed to clear a massive fairway bunker. The best he could do was to squeeze it onto the front of the green.
The mistake on the par-5 hole set up the signature moment of a 5-under 66 on Friday in the Quicken Loans National that put Woods in contention for his first victory in nearly two years.
Woods sank the 36-foot birdie putt, which broke hard to the right and trickled over a crest and into the hole. He celebrated with a vintage fist pump and smile.
''If I keep hitting good putts, eventually they're going to go in,'' Woods said. ''I made my share on my back nine and especially that bomb on eight. That was a bit lucky, but I'll take it.''
Woods was tied for fifth, three shots behind Ryo Ishikawa, who was even par for the day before he birdied the last three holes at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Ishikawa had a 68 to reach 11 under, one shot ahead of Rickie Fowler, who also birdied the last three for a 65, and Kevin Chappell, who shot 68.
Woods is the host and a two-time winner of the Quicken Loans National, which is being played at RTJ for the first time.
His 66 was his best score in relation to par this year and only his seventh round in the 60s. In eight previous starts this year, he missed three cuts and withdrew once. His best finish is a tie for 17th at the Masters.

Two years ago, Woods was ranked No. 1. Since then, he has had back surgery and changed his swing. Earlier this year, he struggled to make solid contact on basic chip shots. His ranking has plummeted to 266th.
''I know what I'm doing out there. It's just a matter of time before things start to click in,'' Woods said. ''People want the immediate fix, the one tip that's going to work for the rest of their life. It doesn't work that way.''
Woods started on the back nine and made three pars before a shockingly bad tee shot on the par-5 14th. He slammed his driver to the turf as the ball traveled only 161 yards and failed to reach the fairway. That led to his only bogey of the day.
''That kind of got me kick-started a little bit. Got me a little fired up,'' Woods said.
On the next hole, he twirled his driver in satisfaction as the ball sailed down the middle of the fairway. He hit his approach to 3 feet for his first birdie of the day. From then on, he put on a flawless display of ball-striking.
Another long, accurate drive on the 18th led to a 10-footer for birdie. On the first hole, he laid back with a 3-wood before hitting 9-iron to 5 feet for another birdie.
On the par-3 fourth, playing at 223 yards, he attacked a difficult pin and made a 20-foot putt, raising his putter in the air as the ball dropped. He added a two-putt birdie on the par-5 fifth before his dramatics on 8.
While Woods is trying to salvage his season, Fowler is hoping to build on a career year. Fowler won The Players Championship in May and the Scottish Open in July, doubling his career victory total.
He struggled with his driver Friday but made up for it with putting. On the 18th, Fowler raised his putter and started walking before his 27-foot birdie putt went down, and then high-fived caddie Joe Skovron.
''Probably hit it worse today,'' Fowler said. ''I wouldn't say I putted any better, just happened to get some that went in.''
Playing three groups behind Fowler, Ishikawa had made four birdies and four bogeys when he nearly made his second hole-in-one of the tournament, hitting a 9-iron to 2 inches on the short par-3 16th. He tapped in for birdie and followed that up with a 13-foot birdie putt on 17 and a 31-footer on 18.
''My goal for this weekend is like 15 under, 16 under,'' Ishikawa said. ''So I'm just here focused on that number.''
David Lingmerth, enjoying a breakout season thanks to his victory at the Memorial, made five birdies on his final nine holes for a 65. He was two shots back.
The cut was 2 under, and Billy Hurley III made it on the number. After his second-round 70, he was informed that his father, Willard Hurley Jr., had been located after disappearing for nearly two weeks.
Woods was part of a group of nine players at 8 under. They included Jimmy Walker, who followed an opening 71 with a 63, including a holed fairway bunker shot from 112 yards for eagle.
''I don't hit a lot of fairways anyway. It's not that big of a deal,'' Walker said. ''Bunkers out here are nice. I hit some good shots.''
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SCOREBOARD 
 
1 -- -11 F -3 63 68 -- -- 131 46 140 94
T2 16 -10 F -6 67 65 -- -- 132 16 24 8
T2 1 -10 F -3 64 68 -- -- 132 59 94 35
4 23 -9 F* -6 68 65 -- -- 133 24 34 10
T5 13 -8 F* -4 67 67 -- -- 134 45 53 8
T5 5 -8 F* -3 66 68 -- -- 134 73 83 10
T5 13 -8 F* -4 67 67 -- -- 134 70 76 6
T5 22 -8 F* -5 68 66 -- -- 134 180 197 17
T5 77 -8 F* -8 71 63 -- -- 134 3 3 --
T5 22 -8 F -5 68 66 -- -- 134 130 144 14
T5 38 -8 F* -6 69 65 -- -- 134 123 138 15
T5 13 -8 F* -4 67 67 -- -- 134 35 36 1
T5 13 -8 F -4 67 67 -- -- 134 11 14 3
14 4 -7 F -2 66 69 -- -- 135 -- -- --
T15 28 -6 F* -4 69 67 -- -- 136 37 39 2
T15 12 -6 F -3 68 68 -- -- 136 18 18 --
T15 12 -6 F 1 64 72 -- -- 136 183 188 5
T15 14 -6 F* 2 63 73 -- -- 136 105 116 11
T19 24 -5 F -3 69 68 -- -- 137 142 151 9
T19 8 -5 F* -2 68 69 -- -- 137 52 56 4
T19 43 -5 F -4 70 67 -- -- 137 89 100 11
T19 1 -5 F* -1 67 70 -- -- 137 82 88 6
T19 1 -5 F* -1 67 70 -- -- 137 88 98 10
T19 8 -5 F -2 68 69 -- -- 137 86 92 6
T19 9 -5 F* E 66 71 -- -- 137 15 15 --
T19 9 -5 F E 66 71 -- -- 137 43 44 1
T19 9 -5 F* E 66 71 -- -- 137 166 172 6
T19 9 -5 F E 66 71 -- -- 137 194 208 14
T19 63 -5 F* -5 71 66 -- -- 137 120 128 8
T19 24 -5 F -3 69 68 -- -- 137 139 149 10
T19 8 -5 F -2 68 69 -- -- 137 106 114 8
T19 43 -5 F* -4 70 67 -- -- 137 40 43 3
T19 24 -5 F -3 69 68 -- -- 137 146 154 8
T19 24 -5 F* -3 69 68 -- -- 137 168 174 6
T35 8 -4 F* -2 69 69 -- -- 138 76 75 1
T35 29 -4 F* 2 65 73 -- -- 138 109 109 --
T35 25 -4 F* 1 66 72 -- -- 138 -- -- --
T35 32 -4 F* 3 64 74 -- -- 138 175 181 6
T35 17 -4 F* E 67 71 -- -- 138 27 26 1
T35 47 -4 F -4 71 67 -- -- 138 118 122 4
T35 8 -4 F -2 69 69 -- -- 138 155 162 7
T35 8 -4 F* -2 69 69 -- -- 138 87 87 --
T35 47 -4 F* -4 71 67 -- -- 138 34 33 1
T35 8 -4 F -1 68 70 -- -- 138 80 79 1
T35 47 -4 F -4 71 67 -- -- 138 38 40 2
T35 29 -4 F* 2 65 73 -- -- 138 107 105 2
T35 27 -4 F -3 70 68 -- -- 138 58 59 1
T35 47 -4 F* -4 71 67 -- -- 138 81 81 --
T35 47 -4 F -4 71 67 -- -- 138 36 35 1
T35 27 -4 F* -3 70 68 -- -- 138 90 90 --
T35 27 -4 F -3 70 68 -- -- 138 119 123 4
T52 30 -3 F* -3 71 68 -- -- 139 71 69 2
T52 25 -3 F E 68 71 -- -- 139 95 95 --
T52 10 -3 F -2 70 69 -- -- 139 117 117 --
T52 9 -3 F -1 69 70 -- -- 139 127 126 1
T52 25 -3 F E 68 71 -- -- 139 96 96 --
T52 10 -3 F* -2 70 69 -- -- 139 108 104 4
T52 46 -3 F* 3 65 74 -- -- 139 157 157 --
T52 9 -3 F* -1 69 70 -- -- 139 42 41 1
T52 30 -3 F -3 71 68 -- -- 139 85 80 5
T52 10 -3 F* -2 70 69 -- -- 139 149 150 1
T52 9 -3 F -1 69 70 -- -- 139 140 141 1
T63 36 -2 F 1 68 72 -- -- 140 129 125 4
T63 53 -2 F* 3 66 74 -- -- 140 147 143 4
T63 36 -2 F* 1 68 72 -- -- 140 102 101 1
T63 1 -2 F -1 70 70 -- -- 140 158 156 2
T63 1 -2 F -1 70 70 -- -- 140 135 132 3
T63 1 -2 F* -1 70 70 -- -- 140 154 153 1
T63 19 -2 F -2 71 69 -- -- 140 113 111 2
T63 34 -2 F -3 72 68 -- -- 140 156 155 1
T63 36 -2 F* 1 68 72 -- -- 140 122 118 4
T63 20 -2 F* E 69 71 -- -- 140 75 72 3
T63 43 -2 F* -4 73 67 -- -- 140 124 119 5
T63 36 -2 F* 1 68 72 -- -- 140 165 165 --
T63 34 -2 F* -3 72 68 -- -- 140 163 164 1
The following players did not make the cut: -2
CUT -- -1 -- -- 68 73 -- -- 141 68 66 2
CUT -- -1 -- -- 69 72 -- -- 141 54 51 3
CUT -- -1 -- -- 70 71 -- -- 141 29 28 1
CUT -- -1 -- -- 70 71 -- -- 141 77 71 6
CUT -- -1 -- -- 73 68 -- -- 141 121 115 6
CUT -- -1 -- -- 65 76 -- -- 141 -- -- --
CUT -- -1 -- -- 69 72 -- -- 141 116 113 3
CUT -- -1 -- -- 69 72 -- -- 141 173 171 2
CUT -- -1 -- -- 69 72 -- -- 141 181 179 2
CUT -- -1 -- -- 73 68 -- -- 141 134 131 3
CUT -- -1 -- -- 71 70 -- -- 141 137 134 3
CUT -- -1 -- -- 71 70 -- -- 141 72 68 4
CUT -- E -- -- 69 73 -- -- 142 65 63 2
CUT -- E -- -- 71 71 -- -- 142 100 97 3
CUT -- E -- -- 67 75 -- -- 142 184 182 2
CUT -- E -- -- 70 72 -- -- 142 56 54 2
CUT -- E -- -- 69 73 -- -- 142 148 145 3
CUT -- E -- -- 71 71 -- -- 142 92 84 8
CUT -- E -- -- 68 74 -- -- 142 169 167 2
CUT -- E -- -- 70 72 -- -- 142 31 30 1
CUT -- E -- -- 74 68 -- -- 142 104 103 1
CUT -- E -- -- 70 72 -- -- 142 126 121 5
CUT -- E -- -- 70 72 -- -- 142 153 152 1
CUT -- E -- -- 72 70 -- -- 142 138 135 3
CUT -- 1 -- -- 71 72 -- -- 143 103 102 1
CUT -- 1 -- -- 70 73 -- -- 143 152 148 4
CUT -- 1 -- -- 73 70 -- -- 143 177 176 1
CUT -- 1 -- -- 75 68 -- -- 143 93 85 8
CUT -- 1 -- -- 74 69 -- -- 143 141 136 5
CUT -- 2 -- -- 70 74 -- -- 144 170 168 2
CUT -- 3 -- -- 72 73 -- -- 145 131 127 4
CUT -- 3 -- -- 72 73 -- -- 145 114 110 4
CUT -- 3 -- -- 74 71 -- -- 145 78 73 5
CUT -- 3 -- -- 73 72 -- -- 145 -- -- --
CUT -- 4 -- -- 74 72 -- -- 146 101 99 2
CUT -- 4 -- -- 70 76 -- -- 146 174 173 1
CUT -- 4 -- -- 72 74 -- -- 146 98 91 7
CUT -- 4 -- -- 74 72 -- -- 146 -- -- --
CUT -- 5 -- -- 76 71 -- -- 147 167 166 1
CUT -- 5 -- -- 72 75 -- -- 147 133 130 3
CUT -- 5 -- -- 72 75 -- -- 147 39 37 2
CUT -- 5 -- -- 77 70 -- -- 147 240 240 --
CUT -- 5 -- -- 72 75 -- -- 147 145 142 3
CUT -- 5 -- -- 79 68 -- -- 147 143 137 6

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posted by Colin | See story on its own page | Saturday, August 01, 2015

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