DUBLIN, OHIO (AP) - Bill Haas played the best golf in the toughest conditions Friday in the rain-delayed Memorial.
When the second round was suspended as dark clouds rolled in and forced the third stoppage in play, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were close to each other on the leaderboard, even if they were miles away from Haas, who had a 5-under 67.
That didn’t bode well for Woods, the five-time Memorial winner who had a most peculiar round in wind and on fast greens at Muirfield Village. He three-putted from 5 feet for double bogey on the par-5 15th, chopped up the final hole for a bogey and wound up with a 74 and his worst 36-hole total (145) at the Memorial since he first played it in 1997.
McIlroy was in danger of missing the cut until he fired off five birdies, looking more comfortable with his putts and attacking with his driver. He was 4 under for his round and one shot inside the cut line _ and one shot behind Woods. McIlroy was in a greenside bunker in two shots at the par-5 15th when play was stopped.
The second round was to resume at 7:30 a.m. Saturday.
SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) _ Three-time NCAA player of the year Amanda Blumenherst and LPGA rookie leader Moriya Jutanugarn shot 5-under 66 to top the leaderboard in the ShopRite LPGA Classic, a stroke ahead of defending champion Stacy Lewis.
Michelle Wie, who a decade ago made one of her first appearances on the women’s tour as a 13-year-old in the event, was two shots behind after tying her lowest numerical score of what has been a disappointing season.
The Bay Course at the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club was the big winner. Only 18 of the 143 players who finished, including just five in the afternoon round, broke par on the 6,155-yard course that played tougher because of wind and bumpy greens.
PRINCIPAL CHARITY CLASSIC
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ Tom Lehman, Duffy Waldorf, Dan Forsman and Scott Hoch shot 3-under 69 to share the first-round lead in the Champions Tour’s Principal Charity Classic.
Hale Irwin, who turns 68 on Monday, topped a group of eight at 70. Defending champion Jay Haas opened with a 71, and tour points leader Bernhard Langer had a 72.
This event is in its first year at Wakonda Club. The tournament was held at Glen Oaks Country Club in neighboring West Des Moines 11 of the last 12 years.
NORDEA MASTERS
STOCKHOLM (AP) _ Matteo Manassero remained on track for his second consecutive European Tour victory, shooting a 7-under 65 to take a two-shot lead in the Nordea Masters on Friday.
The 20-year old Italian, the BMW PGA Championship winner last week in England, had a 13-under 131 total at Bro Hof Slott. Finland’s Mikko Ilonen was second after matching the course record with a 63.
American Peter Uihlein was 3 under after a 70.
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