Tiger Woods four back with everyone around him at Honda Classic
Even with a tee shot into the water for another double bogey, Tiger Woods could see the big picture in the Honda Classic.
He was four shots out of the lead going into the weekend.
Luke List delivered a round not many others found possible in such difficult conditions Friday, a four-under 66 that gave him a share of the lead with Jamie Lovemark (69). They were at three-under 137, the highest score to lead at the halfway point of the Honda Classic since it moved to PGA National in 2007.
So bunched were the scores that Woods was four shots out of the lead and four shots from last place among the 76 players who made the cut at five-over 145. More importantly, he only had 13 players in front of him.
“This is a difficult golf course right now,” Woods said. “Making pars is a good thing. I’ve done that, and I’m right there with a chance.”
And he has plenty of company.
Tommy Fleetwood, who won the Race to Dubai on the European Tour last year, scratched out a 68 and was one shot out of the lead along with Webb Simpson (72), Russell Henley (70) and Rory Sabbatini (69).
Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger each shot 72 and were in a large group at 139. They were among only 10 players remaining under par.
Fleetwood laughed when asked the last time he was at two under after 36 holes and only one shot out of the lead.
“Maybe some junior event,” he said. “It’s good, though. These are the toughest test in golf. Generally, one of the best players prevail at the end of weeks like this. Weeks like this challenge you to the ultimate level. Whether you shoot two 80s or you lead after two rounds, you can see what you need to do and see where your game is. Because this is as hard as it’s ever going to get for you.”
The difficulty was primarily from the wind, which blew just as hard in the morning when List shot his 66 as it did in the afternoon. More aggravating to the players are the greens, which are old and bare, firm and crusty. It’s a recipe for not making many putts.
Defending champion Rickie Fowler had six bogeys on his front nine and shot 77 to miss the cut.
“It’s unfortunate that the greens have changed this much in a year,” Fowler said. “They typically get slick and quick on the weekend because they dry out, but at least there’s some sort of surface. But like I said, everyone’s playing the same greens.”
It looked as though List was playing a different course when he went out with a bogey-free 32 on the back nine, added a pair of birdies on the front nine and then dropped his only shot when he caught an awkward lie in the bunker on the par-3 seventh.
“It’s very relentless,” List said. “There’s not really too many easy holes, but if you hit fairways and go from there, you can make a few birdies out there.”
List and Lovemark, both Californians, have never won on the PGA Tour. This is the third time List has had at least a share of the 36-hole lead, most recently in South Korea at the CJ Cup, where he shot 76-72 on the weekend.
“It’s kind of irrelevant because there’s going to be 30 guys within a couple shots of the lead,” List said. “It’s going to be that type of week.”
He was exaggerating — there were 11 players within three shots of the lead.
And there was another guy four shots behind.
Woods brought big energy to a Friday afternoon that already was hopping before he overcame a sluggish start and holed a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 9 to make the turn at 1 under for his round, and leaving him two shots out of the lead. Everyone knew it just from listening to the roars.
LPGA: Korda shoots a course record 62 to take lead
Jessica Korda shot a course-record 62 at the LPGA Thailand on Friday to lead by four strokes after the second round.
Playing her first tournament since having jaw surgery, the U.S. player fired eight birdies and finished with an eagle to move to 16 under par at the halfway point, a 36-hole record at the tournament.
Korda, who is the daughter of former tennis player Petr Korda, leads fellow American Brittany Lincicome, who carded a 65 to go 12 under.
Minjee Lee of Australia is third and a shot behind Linicome on 11 under after a 67. Lexi Thompson of the U.S., the 2016 champion, is fourth and another shot behind Lee.
QATAR MASTERS: Adrian Otaegui leads by one shot
Adrian Otaegui carded a six-under-par 66 to take a one-shot lead at the Qatar Masters on Friday.
Otaegui finished his second round with three straight birdies at Doha Golf Club to move to 11-under overall and clear of four players tied for second.
Overnight joint-leaders Eddie Pepperell and Gregory Havret shot 69s to go to 10 under, and they were joined by South African Challenge Tour graduate Erik van Rooyen (66) and Scottish veteran Stephen Gallacher (66).
Otaegui, from Spain, has one title on the European Tour, last year at the Paul Lawrie Match Play Championship. In Doha, he started his second round with a birdie and ended it with three of them, and had seven birdies and one bogey in all.
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