McIlroy leads, Oosthuizen and Woods chasing

Updated September 02, 2012 11:28:07

World number one Rory McIlroy fired a second straight 65 for a slim halfway lead in the PGA Tour event in Norton, Massachusetts with Louis Oosthuizen and Tiger Woods heading the chasing pack.

Northern Ireland's McIlroy, who earned his second career major title at the PGA Championship in August, had a 12-under total of 130 after two rounds on the par-71 TPC Boston layout.

South Africa's Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, was one shot back after a 65 for 131 and 14-time major champion Woods carded a 68 for 132, where he was joined by compatriot Ryan Moore, who also carded a 68.

McIlroy's round included an eagle on the revamped par-five 18th - his ninth hole of the day - where he stuck his approach shot two metres from the pin.

He had two bogeys on his inward nine, finding the water at the par-five second for a six and also bogeying the par-three third. But he bounced back with birdies at four and five.

"Everything seemed to work pretty well out there," McIlroy said.

"I felt like I drove the ball a bit better today and hit more fairways, which gave me some more opportunities to make birdies.

"And I was putting well enough to take a few of those," he added. "Yeah, pleased with where I am and looking forward to the weekend."

Overnight leader Seung-Yul Noh of South Korea had an even-par 71 that included an eagle and a double-bogey and was in a group of five players on 133 that also included South Africa's 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (65).

Nine players were separated by three shots heading into Sunday's third round of the $7.75 million tournament, which is scheduled to end on the US Labor Day holiday.

Prior to the event, the second in the US PGA Tour's four-tournament play-off series that ends with the Tour Championship in Atlanta, McIlroy predicted the winning total after four rounds on Monday would be from 15 to 18-under par.

"Now that I'm in the tournament, I just want to play as well as I can and maybe reassess things going into the last day," McIlroy said.

"But I was very happy with the two scores that I've got already and know that I need to go out and play just as good tomorrow to give myself a chance going into Monday."

While McIlroy said his putting helped him score, Woods could not get much going on the greens. He missed six birdie putts from within 18 feet.

"I didn't make anything today," Woods said. "There are a bunch of guys stacked up so we have to go out there and make some birdies."

Woods opened his round with birdies at the first and second holes, but he was unable to get up and down from a bunker at the par-three third and took bogey.

A birdie at the sixth was followed by a three-putt bogey at 11, but he picked up another shot at 14 where he drained a 30-foot birdie putt.

He holed a 17-footer for birdie at 17, but any hope of a birdie at the last evaporated when he found the rough off the tee and came up short with his third shot.

Oosthuizen also teed off on 10 and his round included five birdies and a chip-in for eagle on the par-four fourth, with just one bogey.

AFP

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First posted September 02, 2012 11:28:07

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Hot putter fires Oosthuizen into lead

Updated September 03, 2012 11:46:45

South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen fired an 8-under-par 63 overnight to seize a three-shot lead after three rounds of the US PGA Tour event in Norton, Massachusetts.

Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, birdied seven holes in a row starting at the par-four fourth, and followed up his lone bogey of the day at 17 with a birdie at the par-five 18th at the TPC Boston.

He had a 54-hole total of 19-under par 194.

Oosthuizen surged past overnight leader Rory McIlroy, the world number one from Northern Ireland who carded a 67 for 197.

Tiger Woods carded a 68 for a share of third place on 13-under 200 alongside fellow American Dustin Johnson, who posted a 65.

Adam Scott's horror week on the greens continued, the 32-year-old sitting 12 shots off the lead.

Oosthuizen, who trailled McIlroy by one coming into the round, made it look easy. His string of seven birdies included four putts of 20 feet (six metres) or more, the seventh coming with a tap-in at the par-four 10th.

His 7-under-29 on the front nine was a tournament record, as was his 54-hole total.

"Louis put on a display right there," said McIlroy, who nevertheless was not conceding defeat.

"I've come from farther behind before ... it's going to be an interesting day tomorrow."

The $7.75 million tournament, which is the second stop on the US tour's four-event play-off series, concludes on the US Labor Day holiday (Tuesday AEST).

Oosthuizen drained a 40-foot bomb at the eighth and a 23-footer at the ninth.

"Every putt had perfect speed," he said.

"I told Rory, 'Sorry, but you've got to take it when you can.'"

With the putts dropping, Oosthuizen could afford to be aggressive.

"I went at most of the pins," Oosthuizen said.

"Once I started getting birdies, making putts, I started going at the pins because my swing felt great, and after 10 holes being 8-under, you always think about getting it to 59.

"I didn't do anything different from there on in."

McIlroy finished with six birdies and two bogeys, two of his birdies coming in the last three holes to keep Oosthuizen from getting even further away.

Woods had a relatively quiet day, but did enough to keep himself in the hunt.

He said that Oosthuizen's round, and the 63 of Keegan Bradley, showed what would be needed.

"I'm going to have to put together one of those rounds," Woods said.

"It won't surprise me if somebody shoots 8 or 9-under par tomorrow because of where the pin locations are.

"Somebody is going to go out there and do it. It may be early, it may be late, who knows?

"But hopefully, I'm one of those guys."

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted September 03, 2012 11:40:31

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Oosthuizen wins Malaysian Open

Updated April 15, 2012 18:55:24

South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen bounced back from last week's US Masters heartbreak by romping to a three-stroke win in the rain-hit Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.

Oosthuizen, who finished runner-up in the Masters to American Bubba Watson in a play-off, registered a total of 17-under-par 271, three ahead of Scotland's Stephen Gallacher.

The 2010 British Open champion, who made a 30-hour journey from Augusta National to take part in Kuala Lumpur, fired a 4-under 68 in the final round to win his fifth European Tour title.

Reuters

Tags: golf, sport, malaysia

First posted April 15, 2012 18:55:24

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Oosthuizen hits albatross

Updated April 09, 2012 11:47:17

US Masters runner-up Louis Oosthuizen hit only the fourth albatross in US Masters history early on the final day.

Oosthuizen's double eagle was the first 2 ever recorded on the par-5 second hole.

The albatross moved the South African from 7-under overnight to 10-under and, despite dropping shots at the fourth and tenth, he ended up on this score after birdies at the par-fives 13th and 15th.

This would have been good enough to win the tournament had winner Bubba Watson not hit four consecutive birdies on the back nine to draw level with him before taking the green jacket on the second playoff hole.

"You know, it was tough after that double eagle," Oosthuizen said, referring to his tremendous four-iron from 253 yards at the 575-yard hole.

"I mean, you know, when something like that happens early in your round, you think that this is it. That was my first double eagle ever.

"So it was tough. It was tough the next five holes to just get my head around it and just play the course.

"But I felt like I found my rhythm going down 11, and you know, played well in from there."

For the albatross, "Oosty" hit his approach from the middle of the fairway, watched it bounce onto the green, then roll down a slope and into the cup.

The only prior albatrosses record at Augusta National came from Jeff Maggert on the 13th hole in the 1994 final round, Bruce Devlin at the eighth in 1967's first round and Gene Sarazen in the final round of the second Masters in 1935.

AFP

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First posted April 09, 2012 06:24:04

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Oosthuizen takes Houston control

Updated April 01, 2012 11:47:53

Former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen birdied five of the last seven holes to charge two shots clear in the third round of the weather-delayed Houston Open in Humble, Texas.

The smooth-swinging South African recovered from bogeys on the first two holes to card a 6-under-par 66 at the rain-softened Redstone Golf Club in the final PGA Tour event before next week's Masters.

Oosthuizen, who romped to a seven-stroke victory at the 2010 British Open, launched his late surge with four consecutive birdies from the 12th to post a 17-under total of 199.

American Hunter Mahan was alone in second place after carding a 65, with Swede Carl Pettersson (67) and Great Britain's Brian Davis (69) a further stroke back at 14-under.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson was among a group of three players tied for sixth at 11-under after shooting a three-birdie 70.

John Senden was the best-placed Australian in a five-way share of ninth position on 10-under after posting a 3-under 69 in the third round.

For the second round in a row at Redstone, players were permitted to lift, clean and replace their balls on a course that had been saturated by more than an inch of rain on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, American Jeff Maggert birdied three of his last eight holes to grab a one-shot lead when the weather-delayed second round was finally completed at Redstone to get the tournament back on track.

Maggert went on to shoot 76 in the third round to finish a long day tied for 14th at 8-under.

Reuters

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First posted April 01, 2012 11:37:50

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Davis, Oosthuizen lead in Houston

Updated March 31, 2012 13:11:57

England's Brian Davis and South African Louis Oosthuizen shared the clubhouse lead as darkness stopped play in the second round of the rain-hit Houston Open.

Seventy players were still on the Redstone course when darkness fell, the legacy of thunderstorms that caused delays on the opening day.

Davis and Oosthuizen were in the clubhouse on 11-under par 133, Davis completing a first-round 68 on Friday morning (local time) and following up with 65.

Oosthuizen added a second-round 66 to his opening 67.

Jeff Maggert was at 10-under with eight holes remaining when play was halted.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson, who had seized a share of the first-round lead in the morning as he wrapped up a 65, shot a second-round 70 to head a group in the clubhouse on 9-under 135.

He was joined by JB Holmes (67), Tommy Gainey (67), and England's Greg Owen (69).

Three-time major champion Ernie Els, who needs a victory to book a berth at the Masters next week, carded a second-round 69 for 139.

Davis played a total of 32 holes, but looked anything but tired as he made seven birdies without a bogey in his second round.

The 37-year-old Englishman said he made changes in his life after the death of his father, Robert, from cancer last year.

"I think I'm more prepared going forward now this year," he said.

Davis changed his caddie and his swing, and also worked with sports psychologist Bob Winters on managing his time.

"I really struggle when my kids say, 'Can we do this?' and I should be practising," Davis said.

"It's hard to juggle that around. You've got to give yourself some time as well."

Davis missed the cut in three of his first four starts, but said he thought things were coming around.

"It's one of them things, you've got to stay the course and keep at it," Davis said.

Like Els, Davis must win here to earn an invitation to the Masters next week.

"Obviously, I'm well aware that I need to start winning," said Davis, who has never won on the US tour.

"It's one of those things where you can't force it. You've just got to keep putting yourself in position."

Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, has made some changes to his swing, and returned to the driver he used in his St. Andrews triumph.

"I hit it well at the Open in 2010, and I feel like I'm very close to hitting it like I did there," Oosthuizen said.

"Swing-wise, I feel confident."

AFP

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First posted March 31, 2012 13:11:57

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