AKRON, Ohio — Justin Rose went 30 straight holes without making a birdie. He made up for it in a big way Saturday at the Bridgestone Invitational with a 7-under 63 that gave him a share of the lead with
AKRON, Ohio — Justin Rose went 30 straight holes without making a birdie. He made up for it in a big way Saturday at the Bridgestone Invitational with a 7-under 63 that gave him a share of the lead with Jim Furyk going into the final round.
The last bunch of birdies made for a quick change on the leaderboard. Rose was four shots behind with four holes to play when he made a 10-foot birdie putt on the 15th, hit wedge into 3 feet for birdie on the par-5 16th and closed out his best round ever at Firestone with a 40-foot birdie on the 18th.
Furyk finished with six straight pars, and he had to work for the last one. His tee shot landed in a sand-filled divot, and he punched it short of the green in the rough and then chipped long onto the fringe behind the flag. But he rolled in that 12-foot putt for par and a 69 to join Rose at 9-under 201.
They were two shots ahead of Shane Lowry of Ireland, who had a 67.
Steve Bowditch also had a 63 and was in a group four shots behind that included Ian Poulter (65), Henrik Stenson (68) and Bubba Watson (69). Watson had a chance to get closer to the lead until he missed a short birdie putt on the 16th and dropped a shot on the next hole.
Still, what Rose did Saturday was enough evidence for any number of players to have a chance.
That most likely does not include Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth, whose putting kept his 72 from being worse. Spieth finished with a double bogey to fall nine shots behind, all but assuring that Rory McIlroy will remain No. 1 going into the PGA Championship next week at Whistling Straits.
BARRACUDA CHAMPIONSHIP
RENO, Nev. — J.J. Henry birdied the final hole to take a one-point lead in the Barracuda Championship, the PGA Tour’s only modified Stableford event.
Henry had a 41-point total at Montreux Golf and Country Club, scoring 17 points in the third round with nine birdies and a bogey. Players receive eight points for double eagle, five for eagle, two for birdie, zero for par, minus-one for bogey and minus-three for double bogey or worse.
The 40-year-old Henry won the 2012 event for the last of his two PGA Tour titles. He’s 150th in the FedEx Cup standings, with only top 125 advancing the first event in the playoffs.
David Toms and Sweden’s Jonas Blixt were tied for second. The 48-year-old Toms had 10 birdies and two bogeys in an 18-point round. Blixt had a 16-point day.
Robert Garrigus had 37 points after a 16-point round.
Former Stanford player Patrick Rodgers was fifth at 35 points after a 14-point day.
SHAW CHARITY CLASSIC
CALGARY, Alberta — Miguel Angel Jimenez eagled the par-5 18th hole to match the course record of 9-under 61 and tie Colin Montgomerie for the second-round lead in the Shaw Charity Classic.
With wife Susanne working her first tournament at his caddie, Jimenez matched Fred Couples’ course record set last year. The 51-year-old Spanish player made seven birdies in a nine-hole stretch in the middle of the round. He set up his closing eagle with a 7-wood to 9 feet.
Montgomerie, the first-round leader after a 62, birdied the 18th for a 66 to join Jimenez at 12-under 128 at Canyon Meadows. The Scot had an eagle, five birdies and three bogeys.
Jeff Maggert, the Regions Tradition and U.S. Senior Open winner, was 10 under after a 63. He played alongside Jimenez and Couples.
Defending champion Couples was tied for fourth at 8 under after a 65. Last year, Couples chipped in for eagle for a 61 in the final round, then beat Billy Andrade with a tap-in birdie on the first playoff hole. Woody Austin also was 8 under after a 64.
DIGITAL ALLY OPEN
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Martin Piller shot a 5-under 66 to take a two-stroke lead in the Web.com Tour’s Digital Ally Open.
Piller had a 20-under 193 total at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate. He had five straight birdies on Nos. 9-13 and also birdied the 16th.
Shane Bertsch, tied with Piller for the second-round lead, had a 68 to drop into a tie for second with Darrol Stiles.
Stiles had a 63, the best round of the day.
The 29-year-old Piller, married to LPGA Tour player Gerina Piller, won the Boise Open last month for his fourth tour title
