Duo share lead at Australian PGA

Updated December 14, 2012 23:04:12

The surprises kept coming at Coolum as two relative unknowns - including first round leader Daniel Popovic - held a two-shot lead at the halfway mark of the Australian PGA Championship.

Popovic - who had taken apart the Coolum course with his opening 8-under round of 64 - held his nerve to keep his place at the top of the leaderboard with a 2-under round of 70.

He was joined on 10-under by Chinese golfer Zhang Xin Jun, who fired his second successive 5-under 67 to show he was well in form to challenge on the weekend.

Zhang had birdies on the opening two holes on the way to a first nine of 2-under 34, before coming home with five birdies in six holes from the 12th.

He could have had the outright lead, only to lose ground with bogeys at the par-4 16th and 18th holes.

Day two saw plenty of low scoring, with Zhang far from the only player to make a move.

Geoff Ogilvy shot a 3-under 69 to sit two off the lead at 8-under, along with Matthew Griffin who had a 5-under 67.

A further shot back on 7-under are three players - Brad Kennedy (68), Steven Bowditch, who had five birdies and an eagle in his round of 67 and Matthew Goggin, who birdied four of the last six holes for a 6-under 66.

Rod Pampling and Peter Senior are both on 6-under, while round of the day was a 7-under 65 by Kurt Barnes.

Barnes lies joint 10th at the halfway mark on 5-under with a group of 11 players including former British Open winner Darren Clarke.

Earlier, Popovic delivered on his promise to keep playing aggressively on day two at Coolum.

He was heading for another impressive round on Friday until a double bogey at the relatively-easy 529-metre par-5 15th hole - which he also messed up on Thursday.

"The 15th, I just can't get my head around it," said Popovic, whose response to the double bogey was to tell his caddie "let's make birdie on the next".

Although he failed to make up the shot, the comment showed the mental side of his game that will be needed on the weekend when the pressure goes up a few notches.

"I'm stoked. I can't get the smile off my face," Popovic said, adding he was still playing well and had a lot of confidence.

Popovic, an unknown coming into the tournament, opened up to the media after Thursday's great round about his father's battle with incurable cancer and how his parents were highly-emotional people.

"Mum told me she couldn't watch - she was in tears," he said.

"Dad was in hospital today having some more blood tests done."

Popovic said being able to watch and learn from Ogilvy during a practice round at Coolum on Tuesday had been a real eye-opener.

"Just seeing how he goes about things. He has won a major - there isn't really that much of a step," he said, again showing his confidence.

Ogilvy expects experience will play a part in determining who will take out this year's PGA championship on the weekend.

The 2008 winner is just two shots behind leader Popovic after shooting a 3-under-par round 69 following on from 67 on day one.

"I like coming to Coolum it's somewhere I have had some success in the past and it's just nice to go into the weekend with a chance," Ogilvy told Grandstand.

Ogilvy is confident of overhauling 26-year-old Popovic who he shared a practice round with on Tuesday.

"Experience really counts in golf," Ogilvy said.

"You just have to look at Peter Senior last weekend. Older guys may lose their strength but the game keeps growing in your brain."

AAP/ABC

Tags: sport, golf, coolum-beach-4573, qld, australia

First posted December 14, 2012 15:49:39

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Cauley, Dawson share Tour lead

Updated October 19, 2012 12:05:01

Bud Cauley and Marco Dawson shared the first-round lead on 8-under-par 62 at the McGladrey Classic on Friday morning (AEDT), two shots in front of a chasing trio.

Cauley had eight birdies without a bogey. Dawson joined Cauley atop the leaderboard despite having to take drops after two wayward tee shots.

He salvaged a par to limit the damage at the par-5 seventh, where his tee shot had found the water.

Australian Rod Pampling, American Boo Weekley and England's Greg Owen were two shots back on 64.

The tournament is the penultimate PGA Tour event that counts toward the money list. The top 125 on the list earn full playing privileges for next season and Dawson is at number 216.

Dawson said he cannot afford even to think about that right now.

"I'm so far away from it that the only thing I can do is just try and play well," Dawson said.

"And when I am playing well, just to keep it going instead of kind of messing it up like I have during the year."

Pampling is right on the bubble, sitting in 124th spot on the money list going into the tournament.

He has been on the edge before, however. Last season he missed the cut at the final event, but still ended up at 125th on the money list.

He says it is a stressful way to end a season.

"It hasn't been a lot of fun the last few years," Pampling said. "I've been playing good, but I haven't scored. And it's all down to the putting. Nothing is going in."

Weekley - 121st entering the tournament - says he thinks his game is good enough right now to keep his card in sight.

"It's been a long time coming," he said. "I finally started making some putts, and I've been hitting the ball good, pretty good the last two weeks, and finally today the putts showed up, so - hoping I carry it on this week."

Cauley, 22, has no such worries, having reached 55 in the world and made more than $1.7 million this season.

Now he is seeking a first win on the tour.

"Obviously, I've thought about winning every tournament I've teed up in this year," Cauley said.

"It's been a long year, and although I've played a lot this year, I haven't won.

"It's still a goal of mine, but I'm not thinking about that while I'm out there, or putting any more pressure on myself this week."

United States Ryder Cup captain Davis Love was in a group on 65 that included Colombian Camilo Villegas, New Zealand's Danny Lee and Americans Zach Johnson and David Toms.

AFP

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First posted October 19, 2012 12:05:01

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Woods and Rose share lead

Updated September 21, 2012 09:21:28

Tiger Woods and Justin Rose share the lead of the US PGA Tour Championship after the first round at 4-under par, with Australia's Adam Scott in contention at two shots behind.

Woods, who can capture the US PGA season playoff championship with a victory, and Rose, who dropped in a 50-foot birdie effort at the 18th, each fired six birdies and took two bogeys over the par-70 layout at East Lake.

"I played well," Woods said. "It was a very consistent round. I hit the ball well, made a few putts, got around well."

Woods sank a long birdie putt at the par-3 second and a six-footer for birdie at the par-4 third. After a bogey at the fourth, Woods finished the front nine with a birdie and made another with a long putt at the 12th.

Woods, in the final group, took a bogey at the 14th but answered with birdies at the par-5 15th and par-4 16th to claim a share of the lead.

Rose answered a bogey at the second with a birdie at the next hole and a bogey at the seventh with back-to-back birdies to conclude the front nine and again at the 14th and 15th before closing with his impressive birdie.

Scott had a disastrous start with three bogeys in the first six holes, but recovered well and his three birdies on the back nine keep him in contention.

"I played really lovely apart from a couple of swings on the front," Scott said.

"I was playing fine, but obviously five and six are tough, and I made a couple bad swings and made bogies.

"But I figured I'm playing fine and I'd get my opportunities, so I got back to hitting fairways and greens and had a few chances which was nice."

John Senden, the only other Australian in the field, was not at his ball-striking best and struggled to a two-over-par 72 to be tied 26th in the 30-man field.

Senden was one-under-par through seven holes but bogeyed three of his next five to fall off the pace.

"I just didn't play well today. I was a bit scattered on the back nine and made some crap bogeys around the turn," Senden said.

"I wasn't feeling as good as I wanted so I need to come back fresh tomorrow and go after it."

Sharing third place after a round of 67 are Americans Steve Stricker, Matt Kuchar, Bo Van Pelt and Scott Piercy.

Hunter Mahan, Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, Robert Garrigus are along with Scott on 68.

World number one Rory McIlroy who has won three of his past four starts, fired a 69 playing alongside Woods.

The Ulsterman laughed off comments by retired Aussie star Greg Norman that he intimidates Woods, who once boasted such an aura on his way to winning 14 major titles, the most recent of them in 2008.

"He's definitely not intimidated by me and I don't think I'm intimidated by him," McIlroy said.

"Hopefully we can just play out there and we have a lot of great battles to come."

Thursday's pairing was the fifth time in four tournaments that Woods and McIlroy have played together and the eighth time this year.

"I've gotten more comfortable playing with him. You get more comfortable being around somebody. We've been around each other a lot in these playoffs."

McIlroy goes into the PGA Tour's final tournament leading the FedEx Cup standings with 2,500 points, 250 ahead of Woods, with Nick Watney and Phil Mickelson another 200 and 400 behind respectively.

However with 2,500 up for grabs for the winner of the event, at least half the field has a genuine chance of winning the event.

AFP/AAP

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First posted September 21, 2012 08:17:01

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McIlroy in four-way share of lead

Updated September 07, 2012 10:23:04

World number one Rory McIlroy birdied his final two holes to earn a four-way share of the lead in the first round at Crooked Stick while playing partner Tiger Woods was a shot back.

McIlroy, fresh off his win at the TPC Boston on Monday, mixed an eagle, seven birdies and a lone bogey for an 8-under 64 in the penultimate event of the FedEx Cup that put him in a tie for the lead with Americans Webb Simpson and Bo Van Pelt and Canadian Graham DeLaet.

Van Pelt, who failed to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team this week, may have had captain Davis Love III rethinking his picks after a bogey-free round while Simpson, an automatic selection, was equally impressive, particularly on the back nine stringing together four consecutive birdies from the 14th.

DeLaet, still seeking a PGA Tour win, was the unknown on a leaderboard packed with former and current world number ones, multiple major winners and Ryder Cup members.

But the unheralded Canadian certainly looked like he belonged, mixing seven birdies and an eagle against one bogey for his 64.

With the suspense of Ryder Cup selections over, the focus is back on the FedEx playoffs this week and there is plenty at stake with the elite field of 70 players vying for one of 30 spots in the Sept. 20-23 Tour Championship finale in Atlanta where the overall points winner gets a $10 million bonus.

The only players with three PGA Tour wins this season, Woods and McIlroy were paired together for the second time in three weeks.

Joined by American Nick Watney, the trio garnered most of the attention from spectators on a sweltering hot day in the American Midwest as Woods and McIlroy went toe-to-toe producing a scintillating display of quality shot-making.

After the two rivals birdied their opening hole it was clear the massive gallery was in for a special treat.

No one enjoyed the round more than Woods and McIlroy, who spent much of the afternoon laughing and chatting before leaving the course singing each other's praises.

"This is the next generation of guys coming out," gushed Woods to reporters. "He (McIlroy) hits it great, putts it great and on top of that he just a really nice kid.

"The game of golf is in great hands with him and he's here to stay."

For McIlroy the feeling was mutual.

"I've always enjoyed playing with Tiger, every time we are paired together we seem to have a good time," said the Northern Irishman.

"You're watching a guy your whole life, you're growing up watching him do all those unbelievable things on TV and then you are stuck in there with him."

As the PGA Tour season reaches a climax both McIlroy and Woods appear to be hitting on all cylinders.

McIlroy, who has won two of his last three starts, arrived at the PGA Tour's penultimate FedExCup playoff event leading the points standings.

Woods' play in the opening round offered more proof that the world number three is close to recapturing his best form.

A year ago, Woods, struggling with injuries, fallout from his divorce and a swing overhaul failed to even qualify for the lucrative season-ending series.

But the former-world number one, who passed $100 million in career earnings last week, is in the hunt for another big payday sitting third in the standings and a shot at the big bonus.

"I was scoring, I wasn't playing particularly well," said Woods, summing up his round. "Rory on the other hand played beautiful today.

"Every single part of his game was working.

"I was very fortunate to post the number I shot."

Woods was joined on 7-under by Fijian Vijay Singh while Briton Luke Donald and Americans Ryan Palmer and Ryan Moore shot 6-under 66s.

Briton Justin Rose got the defence of his title - won last year at Cog Hill near Chicago - off to a strong start, closing with three birdies for a 5-under 67 to sit three off the pace.

Reuters

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First posted September 07, 2012 10:23:04

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US trio share Women's Open lead

Updated July 06, 2012 17:41:24

Americans Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome and LPGA rookie Lizette Salas each fired a 3-under-par 69 to share the lead after Thursday's first round of the US Women's Open.

In sweltering heat with no relief from wind at Blackwolf Run, the US trio seized the top spot at the year's third major women's championship by handling the conditions, their rivals and the most difficult lay-out they face all year.

Sharing fourth on 70 were 17-year-old US star Lexi Thompson, American Jennie Lee, Japan's Ai Miyazato and Spain's Beatriz Recari.

Salas opened and closed her round strongly with a five-foot birdie at the 18th allowing her to join the top group, having earlier scored birdies at the par-five seventh and par-four 15th.

Her lone bogey came at the par-four 11th.

"We just figured any putt on the green is a birdie putt," Salas said.

"Down the stretch we had some good birdie opportunities and I took advantage of that last one."

Kerr, ranked eighth in the world, began on the back nine and birdied the 11th, par-three 13th and par-five 16th then finished with 11 pars to claim her place at the top of the leaderboard.

Kerr's 14 LPGA titles include a victory at the 2007 US Women's Open while Salas has yet to claim a pro victory.

Lincicome made bogeys at the first and fifth but each time answered with a birdie on the following hole. She added birdies at the par-five seventh and 10th holes and another at the par-three 17th to share a share of the lead.

World number one Yani Tseng of Taiwan, trying to complete a women's golf career Grand Slam with a victory this week, opened with a 74 to stand five adrift.

Tseng began with a birdie but stumbled with a double bogey six at the fourth. She answered with a birdie on the next hole but triple-bogeyed the par-four 11th and sandwiched a bogey at the par-three 13th between birdies and parred the last four holes.

The 23-year-old LPGA star could become the youngest golfer to complete a career Slam, doing so one year younger than Tiger Woods.

Tseng owns five major titles, the most recent won at age 22 at the 2011 Women's British Open.

Australian star Karrie Webb is the youngest woman to complete the career Grand Slam, having done so at age 26 by capturing the 2001 LPGA Championship.

Tseng, whose best US Women's Open finish was a share of 10th in 2010 at Oakmont, won three titles in her first eight events of the year.

AFP

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First posted July 06, 2012 17:41:24

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Tiger hangs tough to share PGA lead

Updated August 11, 2012 12:07:07

Battling strong winds that buffeted the Ocean Course, Tiger Woods pushed himself into contention at the PGA Championship to end the second round tied for the lead with Fiji's Vijay Singh and Swede Carl Pettersson.

A three-putt bogey on the 18th hole, where he missed a short putt for par, was a frustrating conclusion for Woods but his 1-under-par 71 for a 4-under total of 140 was a fine score in extremely challenging conditions at Kiawah Island in South Carolina, where the average was over six strokes over par.

"I'm very pleased to be able to shoot under par today. That was the goal, anything par or better today was going to be a great score, and I was able to accomplish that," Woods said.

England's Ian Poulter, who shot a 71, was one stroke back while Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy (75) and Welshman Jamie Donaldson (73) were both at 2-under.

Australians Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley were each sitting at 1-under, three shots off the lead after carding 75s.

Four-times champion Woods made three birdies and two bogeys while hitting 10 of 14 fairways, but it was a sign of how tough approach shots were in the swirling wind that he hit only half of the greens in regulation.

He was majestic on the greens on the front nine - he one-putted seven of his first nine holes, including twice for birdie, as he hunted down overnight leader Pettersson.

Woods went close to chipping in for birdie on the par-four ninth when his ball settled agonisingly on the edge of the cup, but his luck returned on the next hole where his putt circled the hole before sliding in.

From then, on the tougher back nine, it was a case of damage limitation in winds reaching a peak of 38 miles per hour and the former world number one survived, with a birdie on the par-four 12th the highlight.

"Wow, it was tough out there," Woods said.

"You can't take anything for granted, a simple tap-in is not a simple tap-in. The putter is oscillating all over the place and the ball is oscillating and you have to make an adjustment.

"It was a tough day. I mean, your start lines, holy cow, we are starting balls so far off line, to have it come back in. There's so much drift to this wind."

Adding, along with Woods, to the retro-feel of the leaderboard, twice PGA winner Singh posted an impressive 3-under-par 69 - the only player to score in the sixties.

The 49-year-old Fijian, champion in 1998 and 2004, called on all his experience to handle the difficult coastal conditions.

"Nobody is used to winds like this," three-times major winner Singh said after mixing five birdies with three bogeys.

"You're contending for a major but we didn't expect wind like this. These are really strong winds.

"Yeah, I love contending in the majors, but you just contend with yourself and try to make a score if you can."

Poulter put himself firmly in the frame until bogeying the 18th to fall one shot behind the leaders, while McIlroy recovered from four bogeys in his first 13 holes with two birdies to card a respectable 75.

"It took a little bit of adjusting to, I missed a few balls right at the start but I was able to get into it and it was nice to make a couple of birdies," McIlroy said.

Among those whose scorecards were battered by the winds so much they were blown out of the weekend's play were Americans Rickie Fowler and Hunter Mahan, who struggled to matching 80s.

World number four Lee Westwood missed the cut after shooting a 77 to finish at 8-over and US Open champion Webb Simpson also headed home with his even-par 72, excellent in the circumstances, but not enough to undo his 79 on day one.

Reuters

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First posted August 11, 2012 11:16:55

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Furyk and McDowell share US Open lead

Updated June 17, 2012 13:36:44

Former champions Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell charged into a share of the lead in the third round of the US Open on Sunday (AEST), while Tiger Woods slipped down a congested leaderboard but still has the chance to end his major championship drought.

Australia's John Senden is also in contention after firing an impressive 2-under par 68 to move into a tie for eighth at 3-over-par overall, just four strokes behind Furyk and McDowell going into the final round.

Adam Scott is the next best Australian at 6-over for the tournament, while Rod Pampling (74), Alistair Presnell (75) and Jason Day (76) are well out of contention after enduring forgettable third rounds.

Furyk, the 2003 US Open winner, put himself in contention for a second major title after shooting an even-par 70 to remain at 1-under heading into the final day, which has all the makings of a grandstand finish with more than a dozen players within five strokes of the leading pair at the Olympic Club.

McDowell, who won the 2010 US Open at nearby Pebble Beach, joined the American at the top after capping his impressive round of 68 with a birdie at the 18th.

Sweden's Fredrik Jacobsen also shot a 68 to finish alone in third, two shots behind the leaders, with England's Lee Westwood (67), Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts (71), American Blake Adams (70) and South Africa's Ernie Els (68) a shot further back.

John Peterson (72) had a hole-in-one at the 180-yard 13th to join Webb Simpson (68), Jason Dufner (70), Kevin Chappell (68), Senden (68) and teenage amateur Beau Hossler (70) at 3-over.

Woods was tied for 14th at 4-over following his 75. He had started the day tied for the lead at 1-under with Furyk and David Toms, who fell to 5-over after a 76.

Seven different players had a share of the lead at some stage in the round but it was Furyk and McDowell on top at the end of a riveting day's golf in northern California.

Furyk rebounded from two early bogeys to birdie the 268-yard seventh hole when he got up and down from a greenside bunker and then birdied the par-4 11th when he drained a 12-foot putt.

He dropped another shot on the 16th but two-putted the par-5 17th to get back in red numbers.

Woods, bidding to win his first major in four years, made a terrible start when he bogeyed four of the first eight holes then finished poorly with bogeys in two of his last three holes.

McDowell navigated his way through the treacherous first six holes with a string of pars but dropped a shot on the ninth when he hit his approach into the trees.

The Northern Irishman made amends with a birdie on the 10th and 13th then picked up another shot at the last when he struck his approach to within five feet of the pin.

Westwood drained a monster putt on the final hole for his fifth birdie of the round to give himself a real chance of winning his first major after seven top-three finishes during his career.

"Every time you get yourself in contention you learn something new," Westwood said.

"I've picked little bits out of all of those, but the main thing is just to go out there and believe that I'm good enough."

Els, who won the US Open twice in the mid 1990s, had the huge galleries roaring with excitement when he chipped in for eagle at the 17th after a terrible start to his round with three bogeys in the first five holes.

"The shot on 17 is what dreams are made of," he said.

"I guess it was about a probably almost a 50 yard shot almost into the hole so it's one of those one-in-a-thousand shots."

Leaderboard

ABC/Reuters

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First posted June 17, 2012 13:15:27

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Woods grabs a share of lead at US Open

Updated June 16, 2012 13:28:59

Tiger Woods recovered from three straight bogeys to grab a share of the clubhouse lead in the second round of the US Open on Saturday (AEST) after defending champion Rory McIlroy missed the cut.

Starting the day tied for second place at 1-under par, Woods had the galleries buzzing as he snatched the outright lead when he birdied the 247-yard third hole and overnight pacesetter Michael Thompson double-bogeyed his third hole of the round.

But the former world number one, looking to end a four-year drought in the majors, immediately slipped back down the leaderboard when he bogeyed the fifth, sixth and seventh holes at the Olympic Club.

Woods then regained his composure and played the back nine in two under to finish with an even par 70 and a 36-hole total of one-under-par.

That left him in a share for the lead with the 2003 US Open champion Jim Furyk, who signed for a 69, and the 2001 PGA Championship winner David Toms, who carded a 70.

Four players, including Thompson and the 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell, were a further stroke back at one over.

Needing to shoot a low score to make the cut after opening the tournament with a 77, McIlroy fell further behind after carding a 73 to finish at 10 over.

The Northern Irishman had a birdie putt on the last hole to get to eight over and make the cut but three-putted for a bogey.

"To be honest, overall I don't feel like I played that badly for the last two days," McIlroy said.

"It's just such a demanding golf course and just punishes the slightest shot that's off line or that's maybe not the right distance or whatever."

World number one Luke Donald, playing in the same group as McIlroy, also missed the cut after finishing at 11 over. The Englishman shot a respectable 72 but blew his chances on the first day when he signed for a 79.

"It was a little better today, but little consolation, obviously. It's not going to be good enough to play the weekend," he said.

While most of the top professionals struggled to survive on the notoriously difficult course, Furyk calmly plotted his way around the layout, undaunted by the tight fairways, thick rough and slick greens.

"I guess you have to realise at the US Open that par is a really good score and you're going to make some bogeys," the 42-year-old said.

"And when I'm patient, when I'm playing well, I've had some success here. Mentally you have to be in a good frame of mind, and physically you have to be on top of a lot of areas of your game."

McDowell carded a 72, although it could have been much better. The Northern Irishman was at 2-under late in his round before he stumbled with three bogeys over his last four holes.

"That's what this golf course can do to you in a heart-beat," McDowell said.

"To be honest with you, if you had offered me one over par starting on the first tee yesterday, having seen what I saw yesterday morning, I would have probably snapped your arm off for it."

Leaderboard

Reuters

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First posted June 16, 2012 12:46:01

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Goosen, Furyk share Innisbrook lead

Updated March 18, 2012 12:24:54

South African Retief Goosen defied a painful back ailment to fire a six-under 65 on Sunday (AEDT) and seize a share of the third-round lead with Jim Furyk at the US PGA Tour event in Florida

Goosen's seven birdies on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook included three in a row from the 14th as he positioned himself for a run at a title that could earn him a Masters berth.

Goosen, who said he would take next week off to have his aching back treated, needed just 25 putts on a course where he won titles in 2003 and 2009.

He had an 11-under total of 202.

He was joined there by Furyk, who gave up sole possession of first place with a bogey at 18 to cap his 66.

John Senden, the best placed Australian, remains four shots off the pace after carding another 70.

The leaders were one stroke in front of American Jason Dufner and South Korean Sang-moon Bae.

Bae had the lead until a triple bogey seven at the 16th.

He responded with a birdie en route to a 68, while Dufner carded a 71 for 203.

John Mallinger (66) and Ken Duke (69) were a further stroke back on 204.

AFP

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First posted March 18, 2012 12:24:54

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Tringale, Duke share New Orleans lead

Updated April 27, 2012 14:05:56

Cameron Tringale and Ken Duke shared the lead at the US PGA event in New Orleans, with defending champion Bubba Watson six adrift in his first start since his Masters triumph.

Duke and Tringale both shot 7-under-par 65 on the par-72 course.

Tringale surged to his share of the lead with birdies at the last four holes, recovering from his early bogey at the par-three third with eight birdies overall.

Duke, who like Tringale is seeking a first career US PGA Tour victory, had seven birdies, including three in a row from the fifth. He had two more at 11 and 12, and capped his round with a birdie at 18.

The leading duo were one stroke in front of South African Ernie Els, Sweden's Daniel Chopra and Americans Steve Stricker and Chris Stroud.

Els made a birdie from a bunker at 18 to cap his 66.

It was another shot back to Ben Curtis, John Rollins and Jason Dufner on 67. Former British Open champion Curtis arrived in Louisiana fresh from victory in the Texas Open, his first tour title since 2006.

Australia's Stuart Appleby is tied for 15th after posting a 3-under 69.

AFP

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First posted April 27, 2012 14:05:56

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Kemp and Lewis share the lead at Royal Melbourne

Updated February 10, 2012 06:12:53

Golf at the highest level suddenly became a lot easier for American Stacy Lewis last year.

And even the famous Royal Melbourne layout held no fears as she skipped to a share of the lead after the first round of the Women's Australian Open.

Lewis shot a four-under-par 69 at Royal Melbourne to share the lead with Sydney's Sarah Kemp on day one of the Australian Open.

The pair are one shot ahead of a group of players on three-under that includes defending champion Yani Tseng.

Since last year's breakthrough LPGA win at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, Lewis has grown comfortable at the top.

Playing for the first time at the composite layout, she fired six birdies - and two bogeys for her 69.

Lewis said she "fell in love with the course" the first time she saw it, awed by its demand for creative golf.

But she is far from over-awed, either by the course or the company.

Following her win in March, Lewis collected 10 top-10 finishes, including runner-up at the Evian Masters.

"I'm much more confident, just with the year I've had," Lewis said.

"I had such a consistent year. I was in contention quite a bit and you just get comfortable there.
"You don't worry when you're a couple under and you see your name on the leaderboard and it's not that big of a deal."

She pinpointed one particular hole which she said would give her a boost as she attempts to retain the lead on Friday.

"I made a bad swing on eight," she said.

"I hit my drive way down there on the par five and only had about 165 metres to the front of the green.

"I hit it into the bunker then made about a 30 footer for birdie, so I think that really gives me some momentum, going into tomorrow.

"I hit a bad iron shot and a bad bunker shot and still made birdie," Lewis said.

Meanwhile four-time winner Karrie Webb has had a forgettable day, finishing two-over.

AAP

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First posted February 09, 2012 11:44:48

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Rose, Gillis share PGA lead as Rory lurks

Updated March 03, 2012 13:16:33

Justin Rose fired a second-straight 66 to claim a share of the halfway lead alongside Tom Gillis at the US PGA event in Florida.

Gillis carded a 64 to join Rose on eight-under-par 132, one shot in front of red-hot Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland.

McIlroy, who could claim the world number one ranking with a victory this week, had four birdies in a three-under 67 at PGA National.

"I had a few chances early on and didn't take them," McIlroy said. "Kept making pars and making pars, and broke that run with a bogey on 13 which was frustrating.

"But to bounce back from that and birdie three of the last five holes was nice, and puts me in great position going into the weekend."

McIlroy said he would not change his approach on the weekend, even with the prospect of supplanting Luke Donald atop the rankings hovering.

"I just need to keep doing the same things, try to drive the ball in the fairway and give myself loads of opportunities, and try and take a few," he said.

"Because you don't need to make tons of birdies out here."

Plenty of birdies were being made, however, including eight for unheralded Brian Harman, who also had an eagle as he flirted with the golf grail of 59 before settling for a course-record 61 with a par on 18.

Tiger Woods capped a scrambling round with back-to-back birdies that gave him a two-under 68.

That put him at one-under 139 for the tournament, still seven off the pace - and one behind the best-placed Australian, Greg Chalmers, who trails by five after second-round 69.

Rose, who teed off on 10, had five birdies in a nine-hole span in the middle of his round, moving as low as 10-under until bogeys at the sixth and seventh slowed him down.

"You can't play 36 holes around here and expect to come away without any bruises at all," Rose said.

McIlroy was joined on seven-under 133 by Dicky Pride, who birdied his final hole to complete a 67.

Harman headed a group on 134 that also included Jimmy Walker (67) and Monday qualifier Vaughn Taylor (66).

Harman, a US tour rookie, was in the fairway at the par-five 18th needing an eagle to post a 59.

He fired into the front bunker, then missed a five-foot birdie putt. His 61, however, lowered the course record by three strokes.

"Just one of those crazy days where everything comes together," Harman said. "Got off to a really hot start and just kept the pedal down all day. It was awesome."

AFP

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted March 03, 2012 13:16:33

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McIlroy takes share of Memorial lead

Published:Friday, June 3, 2011 9:15 AEST

Rory McIlroy of Nothern Ireland hits his second shot on the 11th hole during the first round of The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 2, 2011 in Dublin, Ohio.

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Pampling in share of second place in Ohio

Updated June 4, 2011 09:24:00

Rod Pampling rocketed into a share of second place after round two of the US PGA Tour Memorial Tournament.

The Australian carded the round of the day, a blistering bogey-free 6-under-par 66 at Muirfield Village, to move to 6-under (138) for the tournament.

American Steve Stricker leads by three shots at 9-under 135 thanks in part to a brilliant hole-in-one on his penultimate hole.

Stricker flushed his six-iron 186 yards on the par-three eighth hole, with his precision shot leapfrogging him from a tie for the lead into outright first.

A final hole birdie extended his advantage.

Pampling is tied with Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Americans Ricky Barnes and Jonathan Byrd.

The 41-year-old Queenslander carded three birdies on each nine, twice holing putts from off the fringe to move up 50 places on the leaderboard.

Fellow Australian Aaron Baddeley is also well in contention after a four-under par 68 moved him to 5-under 139 and into a tie for sixth with five others including new world number one Luke Donald.

Channelling fond memories from the past few weeks and prior starts at Muirfield, Pampling is full of confidence heading into the weekend.

He has posted back-to-back top 10s over the last fortnight and led the 2007 Memorial heading into the final day before being run down by KJ Choi to finish third.

"I'm looking forward to the weekend," Pampling said.

"I had a close finish in 2007 and I'm excited about doing it all again.

"Obviously in contention is where you want to be. You want to have a chance and I've given myself that.

"It was a good day, I hit some great shots, made some great putts and it added up to six-under so that's great."

John Senden shot a two-under par 70 to finish at three-under for the tournament while Marc Leishman (even-par) and Nick O'Hern (1-over) also made the one-over cut.

Robert Allenby (3-over), Stuart Appleby (7-over) and Matt Jones (13-over) will miss the weekend.

- AAP

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First posted June 4, 2011 09:19:00

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McIlroy grabs share of Memorial lead

Updated June 3, 2011 09:19:00

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy birdied three of his last four holes to fire a 6-under-par 66 and match American Chris Riley for the lead after the first round of the PGA Memorial tournament in Ohio.

McIlroy has been a contender at the past three majors, sharing third at last year's British Open and PGA Championship and leading the Masters with nine holes to play before finishing with a calamitous 80 and a share of 15th.

After such major misery, a win at the Memorial would feel mighty good.

"It would be fantastic," McIlroy said.

"There are 54 holes to go and there's a long way, but I feel as if I am playing good enough to get myself in the hunt come Sunday."

The 22-year-old Ulsterman served notice he intends to be a factor at the US Open in two weeks time at Congressional Country Club in suburban Washington by shining in his opening round in a major tune-up with a world-class field.

"Hopefully I can just keep it going," McIlroy said.

"Conditions are perfect out there. You can't really get it much better. Hopefully I can play as well as I did today and shoot another good one tomorrow.

"It could have been a couple better but I will take 66."

McIlroy, who shared 10th at last year's Memorial, began on the back nine and birdied the par-5 11th hole, then answered his lone bogey of the day at the par-4 13th with birdies at the par-4 14th and par-5 15th.

McIlroy, the only player from outside the United States in the top 20 after round one, picked up another stroke on the par-4 third then charged home with three birdies in a row at the par-4 sixth, par-5 seventh and par-3 eighth.

"I got it up-and-down a few times when I really needed to to keep myself at a couple under, and then was able to birdie a few holes coming in, and that was really the difference," McIlroy said.

"I chipped in for birdie on 15, which looked like I was going to do well just to make par, and then up-and-downed it on 16 and up-and-downed it on 17, up-and-downed it on 18 as well. That kept me going."

McIlroy will go to Haiti next week for a UNICEF children's charity appearance - "It should be pretty eye-opening" - before playing twice next week at Congressional ahead of the US Open.

"I feel like I'm the sort of age that I can relate to the younger people," McIlroy said.

"I just don't want to really put my name to it, I wanted to do something, and they were very keen for me to go and see somewhere where they're sort of hands-on and they're working."

Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley and John Senden were the best of the Australians, five shots off the lead after solid 71s.

Chris DiMarco and Josh Teater were one stroke off the pace while a pack on 68 included Rickie Fowler, Steve Stricker, Rocco Mediate, Ricky Barnes, Matt Bettencourt, Dustin Johnson, Stewart Cink, Scott Stallings and Bryce Molder.

- AFP

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First posted June 3, 2011 09:09:00

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