KAVARNA, Bulgaria — Graeme McDowell reached the semifinals of the Volvo World Match Play Championship after knocking out defending champion Nicolas Colsaerts, whose day include the bizarre moment of taking a penalty drop inside a restroom.

McDowell rallied from an early deficit to win 2 and 1 over his European Ryder Cup teammate on the oceanside Thracian Cliffs course and will next face Branden Grace of South Africa, who beat Chris Wood of England 2 and 1. The other semifinal will pit Thomas Aiken of South Africa against Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee.

Colsaerts had the most memorable moment of the day when his tee shot on the short par-4 10th hole flew into a hazard behind a public restroom in a brick building close to the green. Because of where the ball had crossed the hazard line, tournament officials ruled that the penalty drop must be made within the restroom itself, leading to a comical moment that had Colsaerts, his caddie and rules officials all laughing.

”I ain’t hitting it out of the loo,” Colsaerts joked.

He didn’t have to. Since it was considered an immovable obstruction he was then given free relief to play from outside.

He ended up saving par and halving the hole.

”I’m sure now the whole episode at 10 is going to make all the TV news programs, Facebook and all the social media sites with the caption: ‘Here’s some Belgium guy playing golf in some toilet block in Bulgaria,”’ Colsaerts joked. ”It’s the first time I’ve ever hit a ball into a toilet block, and you would have thought as a kid I would have been crazy enough to practice that shot. But I never did.”

McDowell is the highest-ranked player in the event at No. 8 and is looking to become the first Northern Irishman to win the event.

”This is an historic event and it’s a trophy that has all the legends of the game appearing on it,” he said. ”I think back to the golden years around Wentworth [the event’s longtime home in England] and watching all of my heroes winning this great, great tournament. And I would dearly love to add my name to that list, but there is three other guys still left in the event who also feel the same way as I do.”

Colsaerts got back into the match with a birdie on the 13th – where McDowell was going to drop at least one shot – and by winning the 14th with a par. However, he missed a birdie putt from seven feet on the 16th to get back on level terms and then hit two clumsy pitches on the par-3 17th to allow McDowell to close out the win.

“I keep giving guys a look in and you don’t want to give them too many chances,” said McDowell, who almost squandered a four-hole lead with six to play before beating Bo Van Pelt on the 18th in the last 16 Saturday morning. “I was looking like going 4 up on the 10th and Nicolas then literally makes par from the toilet. It’s when the Rules of Golf get a bit funny and wacky and people watching will be wondering what’s going on, but what a 4 he made.”

McDowell insisted that his energy levels were high despite playing 35 holes on Saturday, but Grace and Aiken both admitted to being slightly fatigued.

“Thirty-six holes a day is definitely starting to take its physical toll,” said Aiken, who played both his group matches on Friday as one of the eight unseeded players and needed 19 holes to defeat Ireland’s Shane Lowry in the last 16. “I wish I was a little bit fitter, but I think if you can get through the match tomorrow morning you’ll be extremely focused for the afternoon.”

“I have little aches and pains, a little stiff,” said Grace, who ended Brett Rumford’s bid to join Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros in winning three European Tour events in a row with a 4 and 3 win in the last 16. “It’s been a long day and I can’t remember the last time I played 36 holes in a day.”

Jaidee played 21 holes in his morning victory over Peter Hanson, but showed no tiredness as he overcame Jamieson with the sort of ruthless form that saw him beat match-play specialist Ian Poulter in the group stage.

“I’m playing very well all week,” he said. “I’m very confident with this format. I’m confident in my golf game this week, we’ve won all the matches, and we look forward to tomorrow.”

Article source: http://www.pga.com/news/european-tour/graeme-mcdowell-jaidee-aiken-and-grace-in-final-four-volvo-world-match-play

SANTO ANTONIO DA SERRA, Portugal – Mark Tullo of Chile shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead after the third round of the Madeira Islands Open on the European Tour.

Tullo birdied four of his last eight holes on the Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra course for a 12-under total of 204. Overnight leader Craig Lee of Scotland and American Peter Uihlein were tied for second, while Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden and Morten Orum Madsen of Denmark were another three shots back.

Some golfers had to complete their second round in the morning after it was suspended late Friday because of bad weather.

Tullo played in the final group alongside Uihlein and second-round leader Lee, and the lead was exchanged back and forth between the three throughout the day.

In favorable conditions at the spectacular seaside venue, Tullo got straight into the mix from the off as a birdie at the first hole elevated him to the top of the leaderboard alongside Lee. And a bogey from the Scotsman at the second meant Tullo jumped into the outright lead, but it was only a brief sojourn as Lee proceeded to birdie the next two to regain the lead.

The 34-year-old remained at the summit until the 14th hole, when Tullo carded a fourth birdie of the day before he seized the initiative with another at the par-3 17th, thanks to a difficult birdie putt from 10 feet that rolled to close out his 68.

“I played really good today,” Tullo said. “I had a good back nine and the putter worked pretty well for me. I hit 17 greens for the third consecutive day and that’s the key on this golf course. 

“I had one bad drive which resulted in a bogey, but I’m really happy with the way I’m playing, shot-by-shot and day-by-day,” he explained. “There will be no different strategy here tomorrow, I just want to hit the same shots and do the same things and we’ll see what happens.”

All three of the players in an identical final group on Sunday have recent experience of being in contention on the final day, but are still waiting to enter the winners’ circle on the European Tour.

At the Spanish Open in April, Lee entered the final day two shots off the lead but fell to a 78. Uihlein and Tullo were in with a shout of winning the Tshwane Open and Africa Open, respectively, before both settling for top-5 finishes.

“I have been there a couple of times this year, so I think that’s good for your confidence,” said Tullo. “You’re not scared because you’ve been there before and that’s a positive thing. I’m feeling confident and that’s a major thing for all golfers. I think I’m there with my game at the moment and I’m feeling good. I just need to be patient and see what happens.”

Lee is glad to be back in contention in a European Tour tournament and thinks he will have learned from his disappointing final day experience last month.

“I’m still playing very well so as long as I keep striking it like that I’ve got a good chance and hopefully I can roll a few in and see what happens,” he said after signing for his third-round 70. “I don’t feel under as much pressure after Spain, I’ll be a little bit easier on myself and I know what I need to do now when I get into this position. I just have to keep doing what got me here.”

Former Oklahoma State star Uihlein, meanwhile, could not quite live up to his heroics on Friday, when he briefly threatened a 59 after negotiating the opening 12 holes in 10 under par. But a 3-under 69 was enough to keep him within touching distance of his first professional title.

Article source: http://www.pga.com/news/european-tour/mark-tullo-leads-lee-and-uihlein-one-after-third-round-madeira-islands-open

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mark Anderson of Beaufort, S.C., closed fast with an eagle and three birdies over his last four holes Saturday to post a 7-under 64 at the Thornblade Club. He holds a one-stroke lead over first-year Web.com Tour member Franklin Corpening through three rounds of the BMW Charity Pro-Am.

Anderson’s three-round score of 21-under 194 is a tournament record, surpassing the old mark of 20 under by Michael Sim in 2009. It’s also the best first-54-hole score on the 2013 Web.com Tour.

Kevin Foley, the winner of this year’s Panama Claro Championship, and Tom Hoge, a friend of Corpening and fellow TCU alum, trail Anderson by three strokes. Foley, from Sommerville, N.J., fired the low round of the day, a 9-under 62 at Thornblade that included nine birdies. Hoge, playing on conditionally exempt status this year, added a 4-under 68 on the Reserve Course at Lake Keowee layout, 30 miles west of the Greenville area.

Anderson began his eagle-birdie stretch run by chipping in from just in front of the green for a 3 at the par-5 15th and he followed up the eagle by making birdie putts of 15 feet, 12 feet and two feet on the final three holes. But the 27-year-old University of South Carolina alum saved his round early on, making a good bogey at the par-4 third hole after hitting his tee shot out of bounds.

“I ended the day with a flurry,” Anderson said. “I really didn’t have anything going until the par-5 15th and then I chipped it in for eagle. After I made a great putt at No. 16, I hit an awesome shot at 17 and converted the putt. That was a tough pin to get close to. And there at the 18th, that was just a nice way to finish.”

This is the first time that Anderson has held or shared the 54-hole lead in a Web.com Tour event. His previous best was a tie for third at the 2010 Panama Claro Championship, where he tied for fourth.

Corpening, the tournament’s 36-hole leader, shot 5-under 67 at Greenville Country Club’s Chanticleer Course despite playing the four par 5s on the Robert Trent Jones-designed layout in only 1 under.

“Compared to the last two days when I could take advantage of my length and straightness off the tee, I couldn’t do it here,” he explained. “I had to lay back with 3-woods and 3-irons, which I did, and that took me out of position of going for the green in two. I putted just as good so I’m ready for tomorrow.”

Corpening has received a Champions’ Choice invitation to play in next week’s PGA Tour event, the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, where he learned to play the game and his father has been a member since Franklin was 10.

“The greens at these three courses this week run at the same speed as they will be at Colonial during the event,” Corpening said. “I’m happy that I can get some good work in on the greens and I’m hitting the ball well too. It should be fun.”

Both Anderson and Corpening are looking for their first victory on the Web.com Tour. Anderson’s career-best finish in 59 starts is a runner-up effort at the 2011 Miccosukee Championship while Corpening’s best effort in eight career appearances is a tie for 22nd at this year’s Chile Classic. In this history of the BMW Charity Pro-Am, six players have earned their first Web.com Tour victories at this event with David Mathis the last player to do so in 2008.

The unique pro-celebrity/amateur tournament format used three different courses in Upstate South Carolina over the first three days. The final round will be played at Thornblade, with the low-16 pro-am teams advancing to play on Sunday.

Third-Round Notes:

–A steady rain moved through the area in the morning and preferred lies were used at all three courses. The start was delayed for 30 minutes at Thornblade.

–A total of 70 players made the 54-hole cut, which came at 9-under 206, the lowest cut in tournament history. Last year’s cut was at 4 under and 67 players advanced to play on Sunday.

–Of the 17 previous BMW Charity Pro-Am events that have been contested over 72 holes, nine of the 17 third-round leaders/co-leaders have gone on to win. However, the last to do so was Michael Sim in a playoff in 2009.

–South Africa’s Tyrone van Aswegen recorded the 21st hole in one in tournament history by a professional with a 5-iron shot on the par-3 17th hole at Thornblade. It marked the third straight day for an ace this year. On Thursday, amateur Wayne Dennis made an ace at Thornblade and won a brand new BMW 325. On Friday, actor-comedian Gary Valentine made a hole-in-one at the Chanticleer Course at Greenville CC.

–Kevin Foley shot a 9-under 62 at Thornblade, a career-best. His previous low was an 8-under 63 in the first round of the 2012 Midwest Classic in Kansas City.

–Jerod Turner shot the best round of the week on the Chanticleer Course, carding a Web.com Tour career-best 9-under 63. His previous best round on the Web.com Tour was a 64 on three different occasions.

–David Lipsky shot 29 on the front nine at Thornblade and ended up with a 65 to move up into a tie for 14th.  

–In the Pro-Am competition, the team of Mark Anderson/Todd Justice is tied with David Lipsky/Ty Gretzky at 35 under. Wes Roach and his partner Bob Johns are in third place, one shot back.

Article source: http://www.pga.com/news/webcom-tour/mark-anderson-leads-one-shot-after-third-round-bmw-charity-pro-am

MOBILE, Ala. – Anna Nordqvist was putting like a rookie again — and that’s a good thing. 

The Swede said she had perhaps her first “really good putting day” since her rookie year in 2009 with a course-record 61 on Saturday in the third round of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. 

South Korea’s Chella Choi shot her second straight 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Jessica Korda and Nordqvist, who is seeking her first win since capturing the LPGA Championship and season-ending LPGA Tour Championship as a rookie. 

“I just felt like I tried to trust myself and trust my line and just hit it,” Nordqvist said. “Usually, I’m very close to making a lot of putts but it’s just the difference of making them. It just felt like sometimes I couldn’t miss.” 

Choi twice made three straight birdies to move to 17 under, and has made only two bogeys in three rounds on The Crossings Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove complex. Her best finish in four-plus years on the tour is a tie for second in the Manulife Classic in Canada last March. 

Choi, who had three top-five finishes last year, said she started checking out the leaderboard “every hole” at the start of the tournament and feels mentally stronger now in her bid to finally get a win. 

“I know my shot and my putting,” she said. “I think just my mental and my experience and just confidence … so I think I can do it. Hopefully.” 

Nordqvist broke the course record of 62 set by Sydnee Michaels on Friday. Korda, the second-round leader, shot a 69. The American had a bogey on No. 11 when the ball landed in a divot and she tweaked her right wrist, and a double bogey on No. 12. 

She rebounded with a 33-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole. 

“It was left to right and it was pretty,” Korda said, laughing. 

That was set up by what she said was a 325-foot drive sparked by the mentality that: “Oh, I haven’t hit the green in two almost all day, I need to go for it.” 

Nordqvist had a run of five birdies starting on the third hole and added a 10-foot eagle putt on the par-5 13th hole. Nordqvist, who did have one bogey, holed a par-saving bunker shot from some 10 yards on 12. 

“Today was a lot of fun,” she said. “I started out with a couple birdies, hit a lot of good shots, and I think I missed one green. And then I made that bunker shot and it was just like, I couldn’t stop smiling, couldn’t stop laughing.” 

Win drought aside, the former Arizona State player thinks her game has improved substantially since making the splash as a rookie because she’s more consistent. 

“It’s fun being in contention and having people watch,” she said. “That’s what you work hard for. It’s a lot more fun playing up there than playing for 50th or 60th, so it’s a good place to be.” 

Defending champion Stacy Lewis was four strokes back with a 63 after opening the day in 35th. She won both Alabama tournaments last year. 

Lewis had a string of four straight birdies from Nos. 5-8 to start a stretch of eight in 10 holes. Gone were the mistakes of the previous two days when she had a double bogey and two bogeys each round for 70s. 

“It was one of those stress-free days,” Lewis said. “I needed something like that to get back into the tournament.” 

Webb and Korda will play together for the fourth straight round. Webb had her first bogey since early Thursday but already had three birdies in the first six holes. 

“I got off to really quite a nice start,” the 38-year-old Australian said. “I was cruising along and then threw a three-putt in there on No. 7 and sort of lost a bit of my momentum there and didn’t really get it going again. I had a lot of in-between numbers today and just wasn’t guessing right.” 

The course’s low round entering the week was 64 by Danielle Downey in 2008 and Webb and Sjodin in 2011. In fact, Lewis’ low round in last year’s win was 67. 

That might not cut it on a weekend when Webb pointed out, “I nearly got lapped at 69.” 

Article source: http://www.pga.com/news/lpga-tour/chella-choi-leads-mobile-bay-lpga-classic-one-over-korda-and-nordqvist

IRVING, Texas – Keegan Bradley still hasn’t gotten things right on the 18th hole at the HP Byron Nelson Championship, even when finally going left. 

The bogeys on the closing hole at TPC Four Seasons haven’t cost him the lead yet. 

Bradley overcame consecutive bogeys early and bogeyed No. 18 for the third round in a row Saturday to finish with a 2-under 68 that kept him in the lead. 

“(Sunday) is the day. Right down the middle,” Bradley said about that last hole. “`I’m due!” 

Bradley’s 13-under 197 total gave him a one-stroke lead over Sang-Moon Bae, who had his third consecutive 66. Tom Gillis was two strokes back after a 67. 

After going way right off the tee at No. 18 the first two rounds, Bradley smashed his drive Saturday down the left side toward the water. The ball stayed dry, but settled behind a large rock and forced him to punch back into the fairway. His approach settled on the front edge of the green and he almost saved par — the ball rolled just over the lip of the cup. 

“I thought I made the putt, which would have been exciting,” he said. “But 5 on that hole from where I hit it off the tee is a pretty good score.” 

On Sunday, Bradley will be trying to win at TPC Four Seasons for the second time in three years. He could also become the Nelson’s first wire-to-wire winner since Tom Watson led alone at the end of all four rounds in 1980. 

“Should be easier than having to come from behind,” he said. “I have felt comfortable out there, haven’t felt nervous. I feel like I put the time in, I feel like this is where I should be when I play well is near the lead or in the lead.” 

Bradley got his first PGA Tour victory as a rookie at the Nelson two years ago. He followed that by winning the PGA Championship later that season and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in 2012. The nephew of LPGA great Pat Bradley came from behind on the final day for all of those wins. 

After following his opening course-record 60 with a 69 on Friday, Bradley started the third round with a three-stroke lead. He stayed alone at top of the leaderboard throughout. 

Scott Piercy’s 66 matched Bae and three others for the best round on a breezy Texas day. Piercy was fourth at 10 under, two strokes ahead of Gary Woodland (68), Harris English (68), John Huh (69) and 2011 Masters champ Charl Schwartzel (69). 

When 83 players made the cut of even par, there were threesomes instead of traditional twosomes for the third round. That put Bradley in the same group with Bae and Gillis, who started the round tied for second place. 

A secondary cut trimmed the field to 72 players for the final round, when Bradley plays with Bae in the final group. Gillis is paired with Piercy. 

“Keegan is playing pretty good, but you got to play ‘em all, see how it shakes out,” said Gillis, who missed the cuts in his previous five tournaments. 

Gillis was the last player in the field with a bogey Saturday, when he three-putted from 20 feet at the 203-yard 17th. He got that stroke right back when he blasted out of a greenside bunker for an unexpected birdie at No. 18. 

“Makes dinner taste better, that’s for sure,” Gillis said. 

Bradley first got to 12 under with a 13-foot birdie at the 505-yard third hole and saved par at the next hole after driving into a fairway bunker. 

His consecutive bogeys came when he two-putted for bogey after missing the green at the par-3 fifth and then drove into the rough at No. 6. But after a long wait to tee off at the 542-yard seventh hole, Bradley got to the green in two and two-putted from 14 feet for a birdie. 

When Bradley’s drive at No. 11 settled just a few inches above the top edge of a bunker, it looked like he might have some trouble. But he hit his approach shot onto the green, 34 feet from the cup, and sank the birdie putt to get to 13 under. He blasted within 12 feet from a greenside bunker at the par-5 16th hole for birdie. 

Bae, the 26-year-old South Korean who has 11 international victories but none on the PGA Tour, was quickly within a stroke of the lead after birdies on the first two holes. He made a 9-footer on the first and curled in a 32-foot birdie putt at the 223-yard second hole. 

A 12-footer for birdie at the eighth hole got Bae to 10 under, again only a stroke back. But Bradley made a 14-foot birdie putt to close out the front nine and made the turn with a two-stroke lead over Bae and Gillis, who also made a birdie from 14 feet at the ninth hole to get to 10 under. 

“Only play just my game,” Bae said when asked how difficult it will be trying to overtake Bradley. “Nobody knows.” 

Notes: English twice had three birdies in a row, including approaches of 5-6 feet on holes 11-13 to get to 10 under right after missing a 3-foot par putt at No. 10. … Huh, the 2012 PGA Tour rookie of the year, had an eagle 2 at the 14th hole when he holed a shot from 162 yards. … Two-time major champion Angel Cabrera missed the green at the par-3 fifth hole, but chipped in from 27 feet for his second consecutive birdie to make up for the double-bogey 6 at No. 3. He finished with 11 consecutive pars in a 70 that left him seven strokes off the lead. 

Article source: http://www.pga.com/news/pga-tour/keegan-bradley-leads-bae-one-shot-after-third-round-hp-byron-nelson-championship

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Northern Ireland won’t have its own team for the World Cup of Golf after all. 

A press release issued by the International Federation of PGA Tours last week during The Players Championship said that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each would be considered separate countries when the World Cup is played in November at Royal Melbourne under a new format. 

It distinguished the World Cup from the Olympics, where those countries all compete together as Britain. 

The PGA Tour issued a statement late Friday afternoon that only England, Scotland and Wales will have separate teams for the World Cup. That’s how it has always been for the World Cup. Players from Northern Ireland and Ireland will continue to compete as one team under the Irish flag. 

The status quo likely will keep Rory McIlroy away from Royal Melbourne. 

McIlroy, from Northern Ireland, had said he would not be playing in the World Cup. When told last week that Northern Ireland would have its own teams, McIlroy said, “That might change things a little bit.” 

If he chose to play in the World Cup there could be Olympic ramifications for McIlroy, who has been asked repeatedly if he would play for Britain or Ireland in the Olympics. If he were to play for Ireland in the World Cup, that might force him to represent Ireland in the Olympics. 

Article source: http://www.pga.com/news/other-tour/no-world-cup-northern-ireland-officials-say-rory-mcilroy-likely-sit-out

GREENVILLE, S.C. – First-year Web.com Tour member Franklin Corpening is the halfway leader of the BMW Charity Pro-Am after posting a 15-under-par total of 128 in the unique pro-celebrity/amateur tournament played over three courses in Upstate South Carolina.

The 28-year-old from Fort Worth, Texas, has a one-shot lead over fellow TCU grad and friend Tom Hoge and South Carolina’s Mark Anderson after rounds of 62-66.

Corpening has played nearly flawless golf over the opening 36 holes, collecting 13 birdies, one eagle and no bogeys. He has hit 22 of 27 fairways and 30 of 36 greens, recording 29 putts Thursday and 25 Friday.  His only stressful moment came on his 18th hole at The Reserve at Lake Keowee, where he canned a 15-footer to save par after being in a greenside bunker.

While this is a big week for Corpening, he has another one ahead. He has received a Champions’ Choice invitation to play in next week’s PGA Tour event, the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club, where he learned to play the game and where his father has been a member for 18 years.

Playing Thornblade Club, Hoge carded three birdies on the front nine and added four more on the back, plus a kick-in eagle on the par-5 16th when he nailed a 5-iron from 212 yards to one foot en route to his 63. The unique format, which pairs one professional with a celebrity or amateur, has had a positive effect on Hoge. 

“The guys we’re playing with this week are good amateur players, so it feels like you’re back at home playing a practice round with some guys who are scratch golfers. They’ve been great and we’ve been able to feed off each other.”

Mark Anderson tackled what statistically has been the toughest of the three host courses Friday. The Beaufort, S.C., resident added a 67 at Greenville Country Club’s Chanticleer Course to the 63 he put up Thursday at The Reserve at Lake Keowee, which put gave him a share of the first-round lead.

“I’m happy with my 67 today,” the 2008 University of South Carolina grad said.  “It’s nice to get this one out of the way and play well. This (Greenville Country Club) is definitely the trickiest of the three courses.”

Hudson Swafford (Greenville Country Club) and Zack Miller (The Reserve), who shared the first-round lead with Corpening, shot 70 and 73, respectively, to drop to a tie for seventh and a tie for 31st.

Corpening has conditional Web.com Tour status via his finish at PGA Tour Q-School last December. His best finish in eight career Web.com starts to date is a tie for 22nd at this year’s Chile Classic in Santiago in March. His game has been steady, yet not spectacular this year as he has made five cuts in his six starts. He is 86th in earnings.

He is one of three players to complete the first 36 holes without a bogey, joined by Aron Price (-10) and Benjamin Alvarado (-8).

Second-Round Notes:

–Roland Thatcher tied the Thornblade course record with a 10-under par 61 (Keegan Bradley, 2010). The round of 31-30 included four birdies on the front nine, four more on the back, plus an eagle at the par-5 15th. Thatcher is tied for seventh and plays The Reserve at Lake Keowee on Saturday.

–Playing with conditional status both last year and this year, Hoge’s best finish was a tie for sixth at the 2012 Colombia Championship in Bogota.  “It’s been a slow start (in 2013), not knowing when I’m getting in events. I’ve felt like I’ve been playing great the last month or so, starting in Brazil when I shot a 65 in the first round there. Hopefully I’ll get into a few events like here and Mexico and go from there.”

–Guy Boros and Matt Davidson lead the tournament in Greens in Regulation (33 of 36). Andrew Loupe leads the field in putts per round (24.50). Richard S. Johnson leads the field in driving accuracy (26 of 28).

–Cliff Kresge had a pair of eagles on par-5 holes, Nos. 15 17.

–For the second time in as many days, an amateur recorded a hole-in-one. Comedian Gary Valentine made his first ace while playing Chanticleer’s par-3 14th hole. Valentine’s ace came with a 6-iron shot from 165 yards.

–In the Pro-Am competition, the teams of Michael Putnam/Rolf Klam and Wes Roach/Bob Johns are tied for the lead at 23 under par. South Carolina’s Mark Anderson and partner Todd Justice are in third place, one shot back.

Following Saturday’s third round, the top 16 teams will advance to Sunday. There are currently 16 teams at 20 under par (tied for ninth) or better, including the team of David Lipsky and partner Ty Gretzky, the 22-year-old son of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky (tied for 35th) and actress Janet Jones-Gretzky (tied for 58th).

A season-high 168 professionals are competing this week to accommodate the unique professional-celebrity/amateur format. A cut will be made Saturday after 54 holes to the low 60 and ties instead of the usual 36-hole cut.

Article source: http://www.pga.com/news/webcom-tour/franklin-corpening-leads-one-bmw-charity-pro-am-after-second-round

MOBILE, Ala. – Jessica Korda shot a 7-under 65 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Hall of Famer Karrie Webb after the second round of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. 

Korda had seven birdies in her second straight bogey-free round to reach 13 under on The Crossings Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove complex. 

“I’m hitting the ball good and I’m having a lot of fun out there,” said Korda, coming off a two-week break to rest a wrist injury. “I feel really comfortable out here. This is definitely one of the stops I wanted to come back to and I hope we can keep this event as long as possible because I really like it.” 

The daughter of former tennis players Petr Korda and Regina Raichrtova, the 20-year-old Korda won the 2012 Women’s Australian Open for her lone LPGA Tour title. 

“Right now it’s Friday, so I think really the tournament starts back nine on Sunday,” Korda said. “So right now, it’s great to have the lead and I feel good.” 

Webb also had a bogey-free round, birdieing the last three holes for a 63. 

The 38-year-old Webb won the last of her 38 LPGA Tour titles in 2011. The Australian played alongside Korda and Brittany Lincicome the first two rounds. 

“When you’re playing with Jess and Brittany, if I hit a really good one I’m 20 yards behind them,” Webb said. “In certain parts of the golf course where they can carry parts that I can’t, I’m 40 yards behind them, so I’m the little short one out there trying to keep up with the big girls.” 

Korda birdied three of the four par-5 holes. 

“I reached every single one today, so that’s been really nice,” Korda said. “Yeah, we give Webby a hard time. She did outdrive me on the first hole today and she’s like, `What’s going on?’ And I’m like, `Did you work out last night?’ … We were just keeping it kind of light out there and having a good time.” 

Chella Choi was two strokes back at 11 under after a 66. 

“Today and yesterday my putting was really good,” Choi said. “My confidence is better.” 

Sydnee Michaels had a course-record 62 to join Pornanong Phatlum and Thidapa Suwannapura at 10 under. 

“It feels so good to finally have a good round because I’ve been struggling the last few weeks and going through some swing changes,” Michaels said. “The week off last week I just said, `You know what, I’m just going to go back to what feels good.’ So I hit a lot of balls and just kind of got back to where I was feeling good over the ball again. So, it feels so good to finally have a good round.” 

Phatlum shot a 65, and Suwannapura had a 67. 

Lisa McCloskey shot a 68 to reach 7 under after she and her mother, Maria, were involved in a multicar accident on their way home after the first round. The rookie and former University of Southern California player had an array of scrapes from the airbags and a sore thumb, and only got about 30 minutes of sleep. 

“I think I came out here with no expectations, just-make-the-cut kind of thing,” McCloskey said. “I probably would have been happy with even par or a couple over. But I don’t know, the putter was really working for me on the front nine, and then the back nine things kind of slowed down. I think I kind of got a little bit tired, but I finished with two really good pars, so I’m happy.” 

Defending champion Stacy Lewis was 4 under after her second straight 70. She had a double bogey in the par-3 14th after hitting in the water. 

“I made too many mistakes and you can’t do it when people are shooting lights out,” said the second-ranked Lewis, the winner this year in consecutive events in Singapore and Phoenix. 

Michelle Wie missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 75. Lincicome also missed the cut, shooting 75-70.Jessica Korda shot a 7-under 65 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Hall of Famer Karrie Webb after the second round of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. 

Article source: http://www.pga.com/news/lpga-tour/jessica-korda-leads-mobile-bay-classic-one-over-webb-after-second-round

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IRVING, Texas – Keegan Bradley again bogeyed Nos. 1 and 18 in the second round of the HP Byron Nelson Championship.

Unlike the first round, Bradley didn’t set a course record. But he still finished with a three-stroke lead. 

Bradley started and ended his round Friday with those bogeys, part of a 1-under 69 that got him to 11-under 129, the lowest 36-hole total at the Nelson since 2001. 

“I’m almost more proud of this round than yesterday because I didn’t feel comfortable all day,” said Bradley, whose opening 60 included his only bogeys at those same holes in the middle of that round. “I don’t know what it was, I can’t put my finger on it but, you know, I bogeyed the first hole. I was a little uncomfortable and then I settled in and hit some really good shots.” 

Tom Gillis, who shot 63 in the first group of the day off the No. 10 tee, and Sang-Moon Bae (66) were tied for second. 

A stroke further back were 2012 PGA Tour rookie of the year John Huh (64), Ryan Palmer (68) and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (70). Schwartzel had an opening 63 and was the closest to Bradley after the first round. 

“It was a bit up and down out there,” said Schwartzel, who had three birdies and three bogeys. “Bit of a frustrating day, but I suppose it’s the mix.” 

Bradley, whose first PGA Tour victory came as a rookie at the Nelson two years ago, started his second round with a drive that missed the fairway at the 458-yard first hole, then left his approach short of the green. 

“The first hole is probably the easiest hole out here,” he said. “I don’t know why I keep making bogey on that hole.” 

At No. 18, he drove right into rough under the trees again near a cart path. He punched the ball, which rolled and flirted with water to the left before settling into a swale behind the green. He chipped to 6 1/2 feet, but missed the par putt. 

“I’ve got a four-shot lead, so the last thing I wanted to do was plop it in the water. I bailed out,” said Bradley, who also won the PGA Championship in 2011 and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last year. “I didn’t hit that bad of a shot it just got in the wind. I thought it was going to be way left of where it was, but I’m going to hit good ones Saturday and Sunday.” 

In between those bogeys, Bradley had another bogey at No. 6, four birdies and several nice par-saving shots, including a two-putt from 35 feet after driving into the trees at No. 14 and a blast to 4 feet of the hole from a greenside bunker at No. 15. 

Guan Tianlang, the 14-year-old amateur from China, missed the cut with rounds of 70 and 77. 

After driving into the rough and then hitting into two bunkers for a double-bogey 6 at No. 12, his third hole Friday, Guan had a 19-foot birdie putt on the following par 3. He then had five consecutive bogeys. 

Guan last month made the cut at the Masters and then again in New Orleans, becoming the youngest player ever to make the cut on the PGA Tour. He said he “probably” would stay in the United States to play more golf, but wasn’t specific about where or confirm if he would play in a U.S. Open sectional qualifier June 3. 

Defending Nelson champion Jason Dufner, playing with good friend Bradley, had his second consecutive 70 to make the cut of even par. 

Gillis got rolling with three consecutive birdies, starting with a 13-foot putt at No. 12 before burying a 32-footer on the 180-yard par 3 right after that. His only bogey came at his closing hole, when he three-putted from 12 1/2 feet at the 427-yard ninth hole. 

He had played an afternoon round Thursday, when 13 players shot 66 or better in the morning and the only one in the afternoon was Marc Leishman with a 66. 

“It was easier, I think the wind was down and I was hoping that we would get a fair shot like they had (Thursday) morning just to see what it would be like,” Gillis said. “Definitely, I thought it played better than in the afternoon.” 

After 1 1/2 inches of rain fell on the course Wednesday night, players were allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls hit in fairways and other short-cut areas. That rule remained in place Friday, even though the grounds were dry and the greens were firming up with more breezy conditions. 

Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton matched Gillis for the best round Friday, his 63 a nine-stroke improvement from the opening round to put him in a tie for 13th. 

Gillis had missed his last five cuts with 12 straight rounds without breaking 70 before his opening 1-under 69 even while bogeys on three of his last four holes. 

Asked about what was different this week, Gillis said he was more relaxed after reuniting with his coach. 

“I stepped away for a couple of months and tried to do some things on my own and kind of got lost,” Gillis said before explaining their separation. “We had disagreements on some things. … You talk things out, work things out. People change. I think he was right all along, to be honest with you.” 

Bae, the 26-year-old South Korean who has 11 international victories but none on the PGA Tour, had six birdies and in his second 66 in a row. 

“That was a little weird, I thought this course was very windy, but (Thursday) morning was really good weather,” Bae said. “So yeah, different, but I shoot same score as (Thursday), so I’m happy.” 

Article source: http://www.pga.com/news/pga-tour/keegan-bradley-leads-three-shots-after-second-round-hp-byron-nelson