Westwood among the leaders

Lee Westwood put himself into contention at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational today and credited his strong US Open finish at Torrey Pines for helping him get there.

Westwood shot a five-under-par second-round 65 at the Firestone Country Club to lie two shots behind halfway leader Vijay Singh, with Phil Mickelson separating them at six under.

The Englishman claimed his third place at Torrey Pines six weeks ago, when he finished a shot behind eventual champion Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate, had served as a big morale boost.

“I’ve taken a lot of confidence from that,” Westwood said. “It’s not going to get any more pressurised or there’s not going to be more going on than playing in the last round of the US Open with Tiger, everything that was going on with his knee and trying to win the tournament as well.

“I tried to carry on that confidence that I built up there into this event.

“Obviously this is a golf course I’ve played well on in the past. I’ve shot 63 around here and I think I hold the lowest score for the back nine. It’s just a golf course that I stand on and a lot of shots suit my eye.

“I know there’s a lot of crosswinds out there, but they don’t seem to worry me too much, either. In some ways I always look forward to coming and playing.

“Obviously with no cut, as well, this week you can really go out there and take the reins off and play freely.”

Singh, in the last group of the day to tee off on the 10th hole, stormed into the lead with a second-round four-under-par 66 that contained five birdies and a bogey.

Starting almost five hours before the Fijian, world number two Mickelson was first out on the par-70, 7,400-yard South Course and immediately set about chasing down Retief Goosen’s four-under-par overnight best.

Mickelson had trailed Goosen by two strokes and began with a birdie at the 10th, and another at the par-four 14th saw him draw level with the South African at four under as he reached the turn in 33.

Then the left-hander moved up a gear, with birdies at the second and third holes to move clear by two shots after 12 holes, and with a bogey at the eighth negating a birdie at the previous hole, Mickelson checked out with a round of 66 to lead at six under par.

“It’s been a good first two days,” Mickelson said. “I love the course, and I love the way it’s been set up.

“I love the opportunity to get our games ready and sharp for next week going into the PGA.

“But this is an awesome event and I’m excited that I put myself in a good position heading into the weekend.”

Joining Westwood in the clubhouse on five under, one shot back on Mickelson, were Zach Johnson, Sean O’Hair and Peter Lonard of Australia with his compatriot Stuart Appleby at four under for the tournament following a 66, alongside Miguel Angel Jiminez of Spain, Americans DJ Trahan and Stewart Cink and South Africa’s Rory Sabbatini.

Ireland’s Paul McGinley produced a fine round to erase the memory of closing back-to-back bogeys on Thursday night, starting the day at even and finishing with a three-under-par 67.

Also finished on three under for the tournament were Americans Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker, while afternoon starter Ian Poulter of England opened with three birdies before dropping back to two under in a round of 68, and Goosen saw a bogey on the 16th and a double-bogey six on the sixth hole, his 15th, outweigh two birdies for a one-over round of 71.

Low round of the day belonged to Masters champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa, who carded a six-under 64 with nine birdies and three bogeys.

Open champion Padraig Harrington struggled in his second round, slipping back to three over par for the tournament with some wayward shots that led to a round of 75.