Haas has memorable round at Memorial
Bill Haas played the best golf in the toughest conditions Friday in the rain-delayed Memorial.
When the second round was suspended as dark clouds rolled in and forced the third stoppage in play, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were close to each other on the leaderboard, even if they were miles away from Haas, who had a 5-under 67.
That didn’t bode well for Woods, the five-time Memorial winner who had a most peculiar round in wind and on fast greens at Muirfield Village. He three-putted from 5 feet for double bogey on the par-5 15th, chopped up the final hole for a bogey and wound up with a 74 and his worst 36-hole total (145) at the Memorial since he first played it in 1997.
McIlroy was in danger of missing the cut until he fired off five birdies, looking more comfortable with his putts and attacking with his driver. He was 4 under for his round and one shot inside the cut line – and one shot behind Woods. McIlroy was in a greenside bunker in two shots at the par-5 15th when play was stopped.
The second round was to resume at 7:30 a.m. today.
Shopright Classic lead shared: Three-time NCAA player of the year Amanda Blumenherst and LPGA rookie leader Moriya Jutanugarn shot 5-under 66 to top the leaderboard in the ShopRite LPGA Classic, a stroke ahead of defending champion Stacy Lewis.
Michelle Wie, who a decade ago made one of her first appearances on the women’s tour as a 13-year-old in the event, was two shots behind after tying her lowest numerical score of what has been a disappointing season.
Four tied for Champions lead: Tom Lehman, Duffy Waldorf, Dan Forsman and Scott Hoch shot 3-under 69 to share the first-round lead in the Champions Tour’s Principal Charity Classic.
Hale Irwin, who turns 68 on Monday, topped a group of eight at 70. Defending champion Jay Haas opened with a 71, and tour points leader Bernhard Langer had a 72.
Wheatcroft shoots 66: Former Washington resident Steve Wheatcroft moved up 62 spots in the Mid-Atlantic Championships after shooting a 4-under-par 66 in the Web.com stop in Potomac, Md. Wheatcroft’s two-round total of 141 puts him at 1-over and eight shots behind leader Hudson Swafford.