Golf Capsules
PARAMUS, N.J.
Saturday, 23 August 2008 02:31:00
By The Associated Press -
Steve Stricker shot a 7-under 64 in perfect morning conditions Friday to take a three-stroke lead over Hunter Mahan in the FedEx Cup playoff opener.
The 41-year-old Stricker, 21st in the FedEx Cup standings, had a 10-under 132 total on the tree-lined A.W. Tillinghast layout, the tournament site for the first time after 41 seasons at Westchester. He hasn't made a bogey since dropping strokes on the first two holes Thursday, playing his last 23 holes in 11 under.
Mahan, 31st in the FedEx Cup standings, followed his opening 62 with a 73.
Kenny Perry, effectively the FedEx Cup leader with top-ranked Tiger Woods sidelined by a knee injury, shot a 67 to join Angel Cabrera (67) and Dudley Hart (69) at 6 under.
Anthony Kim (67), Sergio Garcia (67), Kevin Streelman (70), Charley Hoffman (70) and Paul Casey (71) were 5 under.
Phil Mickelson was eight strokes back at 2 under after a 70. Padraig Harrington had rounds of 72 and 73 to miss the cut by two strokes.
Boeing Classic
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (AP) _ Mark Wiebe birdied four of his first five holes, then added two more on the back nine to shoot 67, giving him a share of the first-round lead at the Boeing Classic.
Wiebe was bogey-free until the par-5 18th when his third shot carried over the green and into the rough. Wiebe was unable to get up-and-down for par, and he dropped into a tie with Scott Simpson.
Wiebe birdied Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5, then dropped a 40-foot putt on No. 13 and made a short birdie on the 15th.
Finding Simpson at the top of the leaderboard here is no surprise. Two years ago, Simpson shot a course-record 61 in the second round and was in contention headed to the back nine on Sunday before falling one shot short of a playoff that Tom Kite eventually won.
Simpson was flawless Friday, staying out of trouble and giving himself plenty of opportunities to make birdie. He dropped five putts and was bogey free. Shooting 5 under might be the best score possible as rain earlier in the week made the course soggy.
A trio of golfers finished at 4 under _ Gary Hallberg, David Edwards and Bob Gilder _ and another six golfers were only two shots off the lead, including Tom Kite and Hale Irwin.
Scott Hoch withdrew after his 10th hole when a lingering wrist injury flared up. He was 1-under at the time.
KLM Open
ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) _ Darren Clarke shot a 6-under 64 to join Robert Rock and Alexander Noren in the lead after the second round of the KLM Open.
Clarke moved to 8-under 132. Noren, seeking his first title of the season, shot a second straight 66. Rock had a 64, making four birdies in five holes from the 11th.
Clarke's lowest European Tour round since 1999 put him in contention for a Ryder Cup wild card on Nick Faldo's team.
Henrik Stenson (65), who has already secured a spot on the Ryder Cup team, and Englishman Ross McGowan (64) were tied for fourth, one shot behind the leaders.
Justin Rose, who is seeking one of the last three automatic spots on Faldo's team, was tied for 14th after a 69. Overnight leader Rolf Muntz (72) was also in a group tied at 14th.