Tiger Woods back in form in Virginia
The 39-year-old shot a five-under-par 66 yesterday to go with his opening round 68 as he lay on eight under in Gainesville, Virginia. Sweden’s David Lingmerth was the clubhouse leader on nine under, with a host of players still on the course.
Woods, who missed consecutive cuts in major championships for the first time in his career in the US Open and Open, carded six birdies and one bogey to remain on track to arrest the miserable run.
Scotland’s Russell Knox was on six-under after a 67, while defending champion Justin Rose slipped down the leaderboard, a level-par round of 71 left him on five under.
Meanwhile, former Open champion Paul Lawrie admitted he was gutted to crash out of his own tournament with a “horrendous” performance against fellow Scot Chris Doak. Lawrie lost by one hole in the second round of the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay at Murcar Links, with Doak advancing to the last 16 despite three bogeys and two double bogeys on his card..
“I hit it horrendous today and you can’t get off with hitting the ball as poorly as that,” Lawrie, 46, said.
Englishman Chris Wood was the first man into the last 16 thanks to his second 5&4 win of the week, this time over Spain’s Jorge Campillo. Top seed James Morrison bowed out after losing 2&1 to Sweden’s Johan Carlsson, who faces compatriot Robert Karlsson next after the former European number one eased past Alejandro Canizares.
Local favourite Richie Ramsay was an approximate five under par in beating the man he succeeded as US Amateur champion, Italian Edoardo Molinari.
The tie of the third round could be between Marc Warren and former Ryder Cup star Nicolas Colsaerts.
