DUBLIN, Ohio — Bubba Watson has been coming to Muirfield Village ever since his rookie year on the PGA Tour. Nine years later, he might have finally figured it out.
DUBLIN, Ohio — Bubba Watson has been coming to Muirfield Village ever since his rookie year on the PGA Tour. Nine years later, he might have finally figured it out.
He had only five rounds in the 60s in his previous eight trips. Even with a bogey on his final hole Saturday, he had a 3-under 69 for his third straight round in the 60s this week. Watson is 11 under on the par 5s, the key to scoring.
Best of all, he walked off the course with a one-shot lead over Scott Langley in the Memorial. Not bad for a guy who has never finished better than a tie for 23rd.
“It’s all about maturity,” Watson said. “Thinking around the golf course a lot better — it’s my ninth year on tour, so better thinking on the golf course is creating better shots. Hitting a lot more greens. Hitting a lot more fairways. Putting a little better this year. When you add all that up, it turns into better scores.
Watson was at 12-under 204 and in position for his third win of the year.
“I have a shot,” Watson said. “I’d like the same score tomorrow and let the boys beat me if they can beat me.”
Plenty of them should have a chance. With a bogey on the final hole, Watson’s lead shrunk to one shot over Langley, who had a 67 to make it an all-southpaw final pairing Sunday. Langley has not been in the final group since his rookie debut two years ago in Honolulu.
The most famous Lefty, Phil Mickelson, had a 72 and was 10 shots out of the lead while coping with reports he is involved in a federal investigation of insider trading. Mickelson confirmed that FBI agents approached him after the first round this week. Otherwise, he went about his business on the golf course.
“It’s not going to change the way I carry myself,” Mickelson said. “Honestly, I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m not going to walk around any other way.”
Hideki Matsuyama of Japan made birdie on his last hole for a 69 and was two shots behind. Adam Scott, the No. 1 player in the world and coming off a win at the Colonial last week, made eagle on the 15th that sparked another surge up the leaderboard. With a bogey on the last hole, he had a 68 and still was only three shots behind.
“It’s going to be tough,” Scott said about his three-shot deficit to the Masters champion. “He’s playing great this year, and I just have to post a number. I’m in a good position where I can possibly post a number, and that makes life a little harder for the leader.”
The 36-hole leader had a tough enough time. Paul Casey, who started Saturday with a three-shot lead. That was gone in three holes when Watson made a pair of birdie, and Casey missed more than his share of putts that keep rounds together. He ended with a double bogey for a 76. He still was in range, however, part of a large group at 8-under 208 that included Jordan Spieth (67), Charl Schwartzel (67) and Byron Nelson winner Brendon Todd (69).
SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Stacy Lewis moved into position to take the top spot in the world, shooting a bogey-free 8-under 63 to match the 36-hole record in the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
The second-ranked Lewis had a 12-under 130 total on the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club
A victory Sunday would guarantee Lewis the No. 1 ranking, which Inbee Park has held for 59 straight weeks after taking it from Lewis. Park, playing in the windier afternoon session, had a 70 to fall six strokes back.
“It would be huge,” Lewis said. “I was only there for four weeks last year, so I never really got to enjoy it. I definitely want to get back because I know kind of more now what to expect with it. Honestly, I’m kind of tired of hearing all the scenarios and hearing everybody talk about it. I would like to take care of that here this week.”
Lewis, the North Texas LPGA Shootout winner four weeks ago, also had shot 130 through two rounds in her 2012 victory at Seaview. The only other players to finish the first two rounds at 130 were Amy Benz at Greate Bay Country Club in 1996 and Denise Killeen at Seaview in 2004.
Christina Kim was a stroke back after 67.
First-round leader Jennifer Johnson followed her course record 63 with a 70 to finish at 10 under.
Lewis also had shot 130 through two rounds at the ShopRite Classic in her 2012 victory. The only other players to finish the first two rounds of the ShopRite Classic at 130 were Amy Benz at Greate Bay Country Club in 1996 and Denise Killeen at Seaview in 2004.
PRINCIPAL CHARITY CLASSIC
DES MOINES, Iowa — Doug Garwood shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-shot lead after the second round of the Champions Tour’s Principal Charity Classic.
Garwood had an 11-under 133 total at Wakonda Club.
Michael Allen, the Allianz Championship winner in February, was second after a 66. Mark Calcavecchia and Tom Pernice Jr. were 9 under. Calcavecchia had a 69, and Pernice shot 67.
Garwood is a conditionally exempt player making only his fourth start of the year. His best finish was a tie for 25th in the Allianz.
NORDEA MASTERS
MALMO, Sweden — Second-ranked Henrik Stenson shot an 8-under 64 in the Nordea Masters for a share of the third-round lead with England’s Eddie Pepperell.
Stenson matched Pepperell (65) at 13-under 203 on PGA Sweden National’s Lakes Course. The Swede is winless this year after sweeping the European Tour’s Race to Dubai and PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup last season.
Scotland’s Stephen Gallagher (65) and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros of Spain were a stroke back.