LAST UPDATE | 15 Feb
RORY MCILROY IS three shots off the lead at The Genesis Invitational, having moved up to fourth, while Séamus Power is also in a strong position and Shane Lowry has slipped back.
McIlroy fired a 67 in San Diego on Friday after enduring a mixed opening round which left him on even par.
He is now five-under overall, after shooting seven birdies — including a three in-a-row on the eighth, ninth and 10th — and a pair of bogeys on holes 12 and 14.
“I’ve played well,” third-ranked McIlroy, a winner two weeks ago at Pebble Beach, said. “I’m in a good spot going into the weekend.”
Davis Thompson tops the leaderboard, having close closed with a birdie to seize a one-stroke lead over top-ranked Scottie Scheffler.
Thompson landed his third shot at the par-5 18th only 12 inches from the hole and tapped in for a six-under par 66 and the solo lead.
The 25-year-old American was on eight-under 136 after 36 holes at Torrey Pines near San Diego, where the event was moved from Riviera due to Los Angeles wildfires damage.
“It was great,” Thompson said. “I felt like I put myself in good position off the tee. Got off to a great start, made some birdies on the front nine. It was kind of a roller coaster on the back nine.
“Finished off strong… tapping in for birdie at 18 is always good.”
Thompson, who needed only 23 putts in his round, seeks his second PGA title after winning the John Deere Classic last July.
“This course is a little tougher than where John Deere is,” Thompson said. “I drive it well. Have to use my driver. Hope I can put myself in good position.”
Scheffler, whose season start was delayed by a right hand injury, fired a 67 with three birdies and an eagle despite finding only five of 14 fairways in his round. He reached 13 of 18 greens in regulation and finished bogey free.
“A lot of it was missing on the correct sides,” Scheffler said. “That’s part of shaking the rust off from being injured as well as the short game is continuing to improve as I start to play more.
“It was definitely good to have a day where I felt like I didn’t play flawless golf but the scorecard was clean.”
Overnight leader Denny McCarthy shot 70 to grab third on 138, one stroke ahead of McIlroy.
Power is tied for eighth, six shots off the lead. A brilliant eagle on the sixth helped him sit two-under overall.
The Waterford man was one shot off the lead heading into the second round. A mixed round saw him fall back the leaderboard, but he remains in contention.
Power started his Friday on the back nine where he dropped shots on the 12th and 14th. He also bogeyed the fifth but his eagle on the sixth was crucial.
Shane Lowry, playing in Torey Pines, closed out with an encouraging birdie to leave him on two-over after carding a one-over 73.
Bogeys on the 12th and 17th hampered his round but he recovered with a birdie on 18th.
- With reporting from Sinéad Farrell and Emma Duffy
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@Hibernicus: There’s always one who has nothing good to say.
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As I said to Shane below, we are a tax haven. Tax avoidance is the way of the world. We gratefully accept multiple billions from corporations who base their headquarters here to avoid tax. We can’t have it both ways. People be careful not to fall off their high horses.
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