Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Third round at women's British Open suspended due to wind


Third round at women's British Open suspended due to wind

August 3, 2013









(Reuters) - The third round of the women's British Open at St Andrews was suspended on Saturday after winds of up to 38 miles per hour made the course unplayable.

Play was suspended soon after 7.30 a.m. ET after balls started moving on the greens, with the majority of players having started their third rounds but only nine having completed all 18 holes.

Play did not resume, with the day called off around 1700.

South Korea's Na Yeon Choi remains in the lead at 10-under par after 36 holes, while compatriot and world number one Inbee Park, chasing her fourth successive major, was sitting at one-under par after four holes of the third round, moving her up to three-under par for the tournament.

The third round will resume at 0515 on Sunday.

(Reporting by Josh Reich)

Golf-Woods stays in charge at Firestone


Golf-Woods stays in charge at Firestone

August 3, 2013









By Mark Lamport-Stokes

AKRON, Ohio, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Tiger Woods failed to replicate the sizzling form he produced on Friday but remained in full command with a seven-shot lead after Saturday's third round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Seven strokes ahead of the chasing pack overnight in pursuit of his fifth PGA Tour victory of the season, Woods carded a two-under-par 68 on a warm, breezy day at Firestone Country Club.

The American world number one, winner of a record seven titles here, struggled at times for accuracy off the tee as he mixed five birdies with three bogeys for a 15-under total of 195.

Woods had distanced himself from the field with a stunning 61 on Friday and will head into Sunday's final round with an intimidating record, having triumphed 52 of 56 times on the PGA Tour when holding at least a share of the 54-hole lead.

His closest challenger is Swede Henrik Stenson, who fired a 67 to leave him at eight under.

Jason Dufner, who birdied his first four holes on the way to a matching 67, was alone in third at seven under, a stroke better than fellow American Bill Haas (69) and Englishmen Luke Donald (68) and Chris Wood (70).

British Open champion Phil Mickelson, who by his own admission struggled for focus in his opening round, carded a 67 to finish at even-par 210, level with U.S. Open winner Justin Rose and world number three Rory McIlroy (69). (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Steve Keating)

Golf-Scott happy after revising his Firestone goals


Golf-Scott happy after revising his Firestone goals

August 3, 2013








By Mark Lamport-Stokes

AKRON, Ohio, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Having lowered his sights on a second-place finish at this week's Bridgestone Invitational where Tiger Woods is running away with the tournament, Adam Scott was happy with his progress in Saturday's third round.

Masters champion Scott, winner here in 2011, fired a sparkling four-under-par 66 on another warm, blustery day at Firestone Country Club to finish at three-under 207.

Though that left the Australian a distant 12 strokes behind the pacesetting Woods, he was a more respectable five adrift of Swede Henrik Stenson in the battle for runner-up honours in the elite World Golf Championships event.

"I'm going to have to be really hot tomorrow, but it was a good round out there today," world number fiveScott told reporters after mixing five birdies with a lone bogey at the challenging par-four last.


"Anything in the sixties is a good score around here no matter what the conditions are. There's always plenty of trouble. My game is sharpening up to where I want it to be, so I'm happy about that so far."

After seven-times Firestone champion Woods had spread-eagled the field with a scorching 61 in Friday's second round, Scott instantly revised his goal for the week.

"I'd like to have a very hot weekend and maybe finish second," Scott, 33, said with a broad grin.

So far, so good for the nine-times PGA Tour winner, who is also building momentum for next week's PGA Championship, the year's final major.

"It'll be nice to play another solid round tomorrow," Scott said. "I was nearly bogey-free today, just dropped that one on the last, and that's good golf around here.

"It's also good to get those rounds in before a major next week where dropped shots are so costly."

Asked to assess how well his preparations had gone for the PGA Championship at Oak Hill, Scott replied: "I think I've done what I needed to do the last couple days.

"I'm going to go and hit some more balls tonight and keep the good feelings. I've been driving it a little better since Thursday, and I feel it's getting to where I would like it to be. I think by next Thursday I can be really sharp." (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Gene Cherry)