Tiger falters, Goosen leads; Mickelson nears No. 1 ranking
Just about any other tournament, Tiger Woods would be on his way home after missing the cut. There is no cut in the Bridgestone Invitational, although Woods left immediately yesterday after spraying shots around Firestone for a 2-over-par 72 that left him at the bottom of the pack in this World Golf Championship in Akron, Ohio.
Just about any other tournament, Tiger Woods would be on his way home after missing the cut.
There is no cut in the Bridgestone Invitational, although Woods left immediately yesterday after spraying shots around Firestone for a 2-over-par 72 that left him at the bottom of the pack in this World Golf Championship in Akron, Ohio.
Retief Goosen is the leader after yesterday's second round. He turned bogey into birdie by chipping in from 25 yards off the green at No. 4, sending him on his way to a 4-under-par 66 that gave him a one-shot lead over Phil Mickelson and Justin Leonard (66) going into the weekend.
Woods was at 6-over 146, 13 shots behind, tied for 72nd. He will lose his No. 1 ranking if Mickelson can finish fourth place or better and Woods finishes out of the top 44. Woods has been No. 1 in the world since the week before the 2005 U.S. Open.
Despite a bogey on the final hole, Goosen was at 7-under 133 as he tries to win his first World Golf Championship. Sixteen players were separated by four shots going into the weekend.
Meanwhile, No. 3-ranked Lee Westwood withdrew from next week's PGA Championship with a right calf and ankle injury that puts his participation in the Ryder Cup in doubt. He had his ankle taped for the second round and sputtered around to a 76.
In other tournaments:
* Tommy Armour III shot a 9-under 63 and has a one-shot lead over Mark Calcavecchia and David Frost after one round of the Champions Tour's 3M Championship in Blaine, Minn.
* Alex Cejka shot a 4-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the PGA Tour's Turning Stone Resort Championship in Verona, N.Y.
Noteworthy
* Tee times have been set for the three Philadelphia-area professionals who qualified for the PGA Championship, starting Thursday at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. Mark Sheftic (Merion) will tee off at 9:40 a.m. on Thursday and 2:55 p.m. on Friday. Rich Steinmetz (Spring Ford) will tee off at 8 a.m. on Thursday and 1:15 p.m. on Friday. Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range & Learning Center) will tee off at 3:05 p.m. on Thursday and 9:30 a.m. on Friday. *