DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) - Bubba Watson has been coming to Muirfield Village ever since his rookie year on the PGA Tour. Nine years later, he might have finally figured it out.
He had only five rounds in the 60s in his previous eight trips. Even with a bogey on his final hole Saturday, he had a 3-under 69 for his third straight round in the 60s this week. Watson is 11 under on the par 5s, the key to scoring.
Best of all, he walked off the course with a one-shot lead over Scott Langley in the Memorial. Not bad for a guy who has never finished better than a tie for 23rd.
Watson was at 12-under 204 and in position for his third win of the year.
With a bogey on the final hole, Watson’s lead shrunk to one shot over Langley, who had a 67 to make it an all-southpaw final pairing Sunday.
The most famous Lefty, Phil Mickelson, had a 72 and was 10 shots out of the lead while coping with reports he is involved in a federal investigation of insider trading. Mickelson confirmed that FBI agents approached him after the first round this week. Otherwise, he went about his business on the golf course.
Hideki Matsuyama birdied his last hole for a 69 and was two shots behind. Adam Scott, the No. 1 player in the world and coming off a win at the Colonial last week, made eagle on the 15th that sparked another surge up the leaderboard. With a bogey on the last hole, he had a 68 and still was only three shots behind.
SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - Stacy Lewis moved into position to take the top spot in the world, shooting a bogey-free 8-under 63 to match the 36-hole record in the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
The second-ranked Lewis had a 12-under 130 total on the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club
A victory Sunday would guarantee Lewis the No. 1 ranking, which Inbee Park has held for 59 straight weeks after taking it from Lewis. Park, playing in the windier afternoon session, had a 70 to fall six strokes back.
Lewis, the North Texas LPGA Shootout winner four weeks ago, also had shot 130 through two rounds in her 2012 victory at Seaview. The only other players to finish the first two rounds at 130 were Amy Benz at Greate Bay Country Club in 1996 and Denise Killeen at Seaview in 2004.
Christina Kim was a stroke back after 67.
First-round leader Jennifer Johnson followed her course record 63 with a 70 to finish at 10 under.
PRINCIPAL CHARITY CLASSIC
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Doug Garwood shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-shot lead after the second round of the Champions Tour’s Principal Charity Classic.
Garwood had an 11-under 133 total at Wakonda Club.
Michael Allen, the Allianz Championship winner in February, was second after a 66. Mark Calcavecchia and Tom Pernice Jr. were 9 under. Calcavecchia had a 69, and Pernice shot 67.
Garwood is a conditionally exempt player making only his fourth start of the year. His best finish was a tie for 25th in the Allianz.
NORDEA MASTERS
MALMO, Sweden (AP) - Second-ranked Henrik Stenson shot an 8-under 64 in the Nordea Masters for a share of the third-round lead with England’s Eddie Pepperell.
Stenson matched Pepperell (65) at 13-under 203 on PGA Sweden National’s Lakes Course. The Swede is winless this year after sweeping the European Tour’s Race to Dubai and PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup last season.
Scotland’s Stephen Gallagher (65) and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros of Spain were a stroke back.
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