Tiger leads; Tigress Olivia and low girl Jessica; Lawrie battling; Tours unite
Tiger Woods leads in Greensboro
PGA Tour - Tiger Woods is a man on a mission at the Wyndham Championship where he miust win to stop his season from ending.
So far, so good after he added a five under 65 to his opening 64 to share the halfway lead with rookie Tom Hoge (67) on 11-under 129.
Searching for his first win in more than two years that would qualify for the first FedExCup Playoff event next week — The Barclays — he made a big move up the leaderboard on the back nine, with birdies at the 12th and 13th and an eagle three at the 15th
"I just couldn't get anything out of my rounds (before this tournament) and a couple lucky bounces here, take advantage of those opportunities -- it's just the flow," Woods said.
Now he'll spend Saturday playing with an unfamiliar rookie. When asked if he would recognize Hoge to see him, Woods responded: "No, I wouldn't. What is it, or him?"
"I look on the Champions Tour leaderboard and I know every one of those guys because I played against them and I played with them," Woods said. "Now I come out here, I don't really know a lot of people."
Davis Love III and Chad Campbell were a stroke back. Campbell shot 65, and the 51-year-old Love had 66.
Brandt Snedeker matched the tournament record with a 61 that put him in a group of six players two strokes behind Woods and Hoge.
Luke Donald, at No. 124 on the points list, made the cut of 3 under. So did No. 129 Camilo Villegas - the defending champion - and No. 125 Charl Schwartzel.
Aditi Ashok and Olivia Mehaffey with their trophies. Picture: LGU
LGU — Olivia Mehaffey was runner up as 17 year old Indian Aditi Ashok from Bangalore cruised to a five-stroke victory in the Ladies British Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship at Moortown in Leeds, writes the LGU
She is one of the youngest ever winners of this title and this would rank as the biggest win so far for the talented Indian girl who has already won the St Rule Trophy over the St Andrews Old and New Courses this year and finished second in the European Women's Amateur Championship.
A place at an American college next year is her ambition and she looks certain to win tournaments on the US college circuit.
Ashok shot rounds of 71, 73, 70 and 71 over a tough, par 74 Yorkshire moorland course. Olivia, already a GB and I international at the age of 17 dropped only one shot in her final round - at the 14th, but had birdies a the second, ninth, 12th and 16th in halves of 36 and 35.
Mehaffey lifted the Holden Trophy awarded to the runner up and the Duncan Salver for the lowest score from an Under 23 player.
Jessica Ross with the Taunton Salver for the lowest round. Picture: LGU
Sweden's Linn Andersson from Barseback, finished third on 294, four strokes behind Mehaffey with Donaghadee's Jessica Ross shot the low round of the tournament — a six-under-par 68 —which helped her to finish joint third on 295 alongside defending champion Meghan MacLaren.
"That's the lowest score of my life," said Jessica who last year finished 21st. "I've been having a steady season but the big difference today was that more putts dropped!
"I just took a shot at a time and tried not to focus too much on the score."
Jessica started her round by birdieing the first and second followed by another at the seventh. She had a bogey at the 12th but bounced back with an eagle at 16 and a final birdie at the 17th.
David Horsey. Picture: Getty
European Tour — Peter Lawrie is determined to win back his card and he's on track to do it after a 69 left him just five shots of the lead at Made in Denmark where David Horsey (68) took a three shot lead into the weekend at Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort.
Dane Andreas Hartø stole the show, despite missing the cut, by stiffing his tee shot on the famous par three 16th hole, rolling in the putt from a few feet and then going down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend, who was in the crowd.
Horsey (67) led by three on 12 under from compatriot John Parry (67) and Australian Richard Green (65) with Lawrie tied sixth.
Tours announce joint vision — The European Tour and the Asian Tour have announced an innovative joint vision for the future of professional golf on Friday.
The vision will see the business element and the Membership portfolios of both Tours combine, reinforcing the current strengths of the two Tours by maximising global opportunities, as well as increasing playing opportunities and prize funds for the respective Memberships.
Both organisations will now enter into an exclusive discussion period, working through the key points with their respective Boards, Tournament Committees and Memberships. Further information about the specific details will be announced in due course.
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer of The European Tour, said: “We have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the Asian Tour for many years and today’s announcement is the first step in the next stage of that partnership.
“I am excited about the prospect of what is to come and the opportunity that this announcement presents. Over the next few months we will work through, with our membership, all the specific details of what I believe will ultimately provide significant benefit to them.”
Mike Kerr, Chief Executive Officer of the Asian Tour, said: “We are very pleased to announce the consolidation of our partnership with The European Tour which will greatly enhance the landscape of professional golf around the world, and particularly in Asia. This will benefit both memberships in creating greater playing and earning opportunities while also establishing a defined career pathway for all players.
“By combining strength with strength, we will ensure that professional golf in Asia will continue to enjoy sustained growth in the long-term; plus deliver a stronger platform for our members to excel. This initiative will ultimately create an inimitable platform that will enhance our appeal to sponsors, partners and golf fans around the world.”
The agreement is the natural extension in the existing partnership between the two Tours which stretches back to February 1999 when the first co-sanctioned tournament – the Malaysian Open – was staged at Saujana Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur.
Since then there have been 92 co-sanctioned events offering considerable playing opportunities for Members of both Tours with total prize money in excess of €160 million.
High profile winners from both Tours have tasted tournament victories during this period including seven Asian Tour Order of Merit winners – Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Arjun Atwal, Thongchai Jaidee, David Lipsky, Jeev Milkha Singh, Thaworn Wiratchant and Liang Wen-chong – and seven European Tour Major Champions; Darren Clarke, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, José Maria Olazábal, and the reigning European Number One Rory McIlroy.
