Chad Campbell eagled his final hole at TPC Summerlin on Friday to seize a share of the lead along with Troy Matteson in a US$4.2 million USPGA Tour event.
Campbell eagled the par-five ninth to complete a nine-under 62 for 129. Matteson followed his career-best first-round 62 with a 67 for 129.
Campbell, who once played for the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, also had seven birdies in a bogey-free round.
Matt Kuchar, coming off a victory two weeks at Turning Stone in the tour’s Fall Series opener, fired a 64 to join Ryan Moore (63), Bob Heintz (67) and Scotland’s Martin Laird (67) on 12-under 130
Moore’s round was highlighted by an eagle at the par-five 16th.
“Every hole is a birdie hole if you can get in position,” Moore said. “So even if you do make a bogey or two, you feel like you can bounce back right away and make some birdies.”
Rickie Fowler carded a 64, America’s 2008 college player of the year getting to 11-under 131 in his first PGA Tour start as a professional.
Three-time Las Vegas winner Jim Furyk was also 11-under after a 67, along with Scott Piercy (67) and overnight co-leader Tom Pernice, who fired a 69.
Pernice, who won his Champions Tour debut last month, had shared the first-round lead with Matteson and Spencer Levin.
Piercy’s wife, Sara, gave birth to their son, Jett, on Thursday night.
Hunter Mahan, who played with Furyk on America’s victorious Presidents Cup team last week, carded a 63 to join a group on 133 that also included Levin.
“Yes, I hit a lot of fairways,” Mahan said. “I gave myself a lot of good looks with some short irons and was able to make some.”
Among those who failed to make the cut at 138 were defending champion Marc Turnesa of Australia and Presidents Cup team member Anthony Kim.
■
PORTUGAL MASTERS
REUTERS, VILAMOURA, PORTUGAL
Padraig Harrington was disappointed to miss out on a magical 59 after reeling off 10 birdies in a brilliant 62 in the Portugal Masters second round on Friday.
The triple major champion’s 10-under-par return equaled his previous best and pushed the Irishman within two strokes of leader Francesco Molinari of Italy, who carded a 66 for 129.
South African Charl Schwartzel bogeyed the last for a 65 but held second spot on 130. One behind Harrington on 132 were South African Retief Goosen (64) and Spain’s Pablo Martin (66).
“I was very uncomfortable all day on the greens and will have to improve over the weekend,” said Harrington, who is chasing his first win this year and second European order of merit title.
The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League raised further questions about his future. Arsenal remain perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao. The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round amid reports this week that Alonso had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after the latest
By the time Cameron Menzies finally left the arena on Monday, the blood gushing from the gash on his right hand had trickled down his wrist, part of his forearm and — somehow — up to his face. Smeared in crimson and regret, and already mouthing sheepish apologies to the crowd, he disappeared down the steps, pursued by a stern-looking Matt Porter, the chief executive of Professional Darts Corp (PDC). The physical scars from Menzies’ encounter with the Alexandra Palace drinks table after his 3-2 defeat against Charlie Manby at the Darts World Championship would be gone within a few weeks.
Manchester United on Monday blew the lead three times to miss out on moving up to fifth in the Premier League as AFC Bournemouth would not be beaten in a thrilling 4-4 draw at Old Trafford. United have lost just once in their past 10 games, but Ruben Amorim would be frustrated as more points at home were frittered away despite arguably the best attacking display of his reign in charge. Amad Diallo and Casemiro gave the hosts a halftime lead either side of Antoine Semenyo’s equalizer. Two Bournemouth goals from Evanilson and Marcus Tavernier in seven minutes at the start of the
Italian Luca de Aliprandini described Saturday’s World Cup giant slalom at Val d’Isere as the hardest race of his life, coming two days after his Swiss partner Michelle Gisin suffered a heavy fall in training which required neck surgery. De Aliprandini finished 26th in the men’s event won by Loic Meillard, but the result paled into insignificance with two-time Olympic ski champion Gisin in hospital with injuries to her wrist, knee and cervical spine (neck). “It was Michelle’s wish that I race here. I couldn’t say no to her, but it was the toughest race of my entire life,” an emotional De
RSS