Australia’s Marc Leishman fired a six-under-par 64 on Thursday to seize a one-stroke lead in the Bridgestone Invitational, with defending champion Tiger Woods four shots back.
Leishman had eight birdies and two bogeys at Firestone Country Club, and was one stroke in front of England’s Justin Rose, South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel and the US’ Ryan Moore.
Rose, last year’s US Open champion who turned 34 on Wednesday, had five birdies in his five-under 65. Moore also notched five birdies without a bogey, while former Masters champion Schwartzel had six birdies and one bogey for his share of second.
It was a further two strokes back to the US’ Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler, Canadian Graham DeLaet and Italy’s Francesco Molinari on 67.
Former world No. 1 Woods, an eight-time winner at Firestone, headed a group on 68 after a rollercoaster round featuring six birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.
Woods, playing just his third event since back surgery on March 31, three-putted the first from eight feet.
He then hit his drive on the second so far left that it found the short rough to the right of the third hole.
The 14-time major winner recovered with a fairway wood onto the green and two-putted from 50 feet for birdie.
He bounced back from a bogey at the fourth with birdies at the fifth, sixth and eighth.
An errant drive cost Woods a double-bogey six on the ninth.
Rory McIlroy, making his first start since claiming the third major title of his career at The Open, headlined a group on one-under 69.
The 25-year-old teed off on 10 and had three birdies in his first 11 holes.
He three-putted the third hole — his 12th — for a bogey and made a double bogey six on the par-four eighth.
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