Surging Streelman a shot back at Barclays
Jason Day can't get a straight answer from doctors on the mysterious health issues sapping away at his energy. He at least knows exactly where he stands after two rounds of The Barclays in Paramus, N.J.
A tournament that once looked as though it might belong to Tiger Woods shifted late Friday to the hands of the 22-year-old Australian, who showed some of his great promise with 3 late birdies for a 4-under 67 and a 1-shot lead.
Nine players had at least a share of the lead at some point during the second round until Day's late surge. He was at 8-under 134, a shot clear of Kevin Streelman (63) and Vaughn Taylor (70) going into the weekend of the FedEx Cup's first playoff event.
"I just tried to stay as patient as possible, and it just kind of fell in my lap, which was really good," he said.
Woods didn't so much lose his patience as much as his putting stroke. Part of that was playing in the afternoon on greens that became bumpy under foot traffic and a day of blazing sun, as Woods expected.
He wasn't planning on missing a 20-inch par putt on the fifth hole, or failing to make a single birdie on the easier front nine.
"I didn't hit it bad at all," Woods said. "I hit it really good. As I said, I didn't putt really well. I hit it as good as I did yesterday. If I don't make putts, I don't score."
He wound up with a 73, 8 shots worse than his opening round.
The good news for the world's No. 1 player - he will stay atop the world ranking for at least another week after Phil Mickelson missed the cut, and he's still very much in contention. Most times this year, a bad day for Woods meant an early tee time on the weekend.
He still was only 4 shots behind, and at least takes this with him into the weekend: He has missed only two fairways in two rounds, although he never hit driver one time in the second round.
"You play around here and post good numbers, you'll move up the board," he said. "The guys aren't going to be tearing this place apart."
Streelman sure did.
Two years after narrowly missing a playoff at Ridgewood Country Club, Streelman ran off 6 birdies in a seven-hole stretch for a 63 that will put him in the final group today. Clearly, this is no ordinary place for him. Streelman's grandparents are buried in a cemetery beyond the seventh hole. His parents live in the area. These are his roots.
"It's like a special home for me, a special place," he said.
Canadian Women's Open: Michelle Wie remains in the lead at the CN Canadian Women's Open in Winnipeg, Manitoba, after shooting a 3-under 69 in the second round. She is at 10-under overall Friday after opening the tournament with a round of 65 that included a hole-in-one.
Boeing Classic: Nick Price birdied five of his last seven holes and surged into the lead with a 9-under 63 in the first round of the Champions Tour's Boeing Classic in Snoqualmie, Wash.
Johnnie Walker Championship: Julien Guerrier of France, and Gary Boyd and David Lynn of England are tied for the lead at the Johnnie Walker Championship in Gleneagles, Scotland, completing two rounds at 9-under.
U.S. Amateur: Defending champion Byeong-Hun An, top-ranked American amateur Peter Uihlein, Stanford's David Chung and UCLA freshman Patrick Cantlay have advanced to the semifinals of the 110th U.S. Amateur in University Place, Wash.