Henrik Stenson fired a two-under-par 68 on Friday to pad his lead at the US$8.25 million Tour Championship to three shots over a charging Jordan Spieth.
Stenson, owner of a two-stroke lead after his first-round 63, was pleased with his effort on a rain-soaked East Lake course that yielded few low scores.
His nine-under-par total of 131 put him three clear of Masters and US Open champion Spieth, whose bogey-free four-under 66 was the round of the day and put him at six-under 134 through 36 holes of the US PGA Tour finale.
Photo: AFP
“Today was a difficult day, it was a difficult golf course for sure,” Stenson said. “It played much, much longer... I saw Jordan shot 66 — which was a great round.”
After a steady seven pars to open his round, Spieth warmed up with back-to-back birdies at the eighth and ninth.
After a birdie at the par-five 15th, the 22-year-old American capped his round with a birdie at the par-three 18th — where he drained a 20-footer.
England’s Paul Casey was alone in third despite a bogey at the last that gave him a 70 for 135.
British Open champion Zach Johnson completed a roller-coaster of a 70 that included a double-bogey and four bogeys, as well as six birdies for 136.
He was one stroke in front of world No. 2 Rory McIlroy (71) and Australian Steven Bowditch (69).
? EUROPEAN OPEN
Reuters, BERLIN
Britain’s Ross Fisher, looking to win the European Open for the second time, shared the lead with compatriot Graeme Storm and South African Charl Schwartzel after the second round in Germany on Friday.
Former Ryder Cup player Fisher, who captured the title at the London Club in 2008 in the penultimate staging of the event before it dropped off the schedule for six years, shot a six-under-par 65 for a 10-under aggregate of 132.
Former US Masters champion Schwartzel signed for a bogey-free 66 while Storm chipped in for an eagle three at the 10th on the way to a 67.
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