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SPORTS Saturday 11 auguSt 2018
Woodland sets PGA record but

leads by only a stroke at PGA

By DOUG FERGUSON made three birdies in five and they offered a great
AP Golf Writer holes and was seven shots example that Bellerive is
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Gary behind. Fowler overcame accommodating to just
Woodland followed up a an early bogey with three about any game. Wood-
great start with a round birdies through 10 holes. He land is among the most
good enough to get him in was at 7 under, three shots powerful players in golf.
the record book Friday at behind Woodland with Kisner is not. He relies more
the PGA Championship. eight holes to play. on a clean hit with his irons Gary Woodland, left, shakes hands with Kevin Kisner, right,
On a record day of scoring, "Guys definitely took ad- and a great short game. on the ninth green after they finished the second round of the
it only gave him a one-shot vantage of that this morn- The course is so soft — not PGA Championship golf tournament at Bellerive Country Club,
lead. ing," Fowler said during the so much from Tuesday's Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in St. Louis.
And with more rain that rain delay. "A few of us are rain, but the extreme heat Associated Press
pounded Bellerive and trying to jump on that train that requires more water
wiped out golf for the rest and take advantage of it on the turf — that every
of the afternoon, Wood- this afternoon." flag is accessible provided
land wasn't even sure he Bellerive really had no de- players find the ample fair-
would be leading. fense. ways.
Woodland had a 4-under Two rounds of 63s. Another "Greens are receptive, so
66 and set the PGA Cham- at 64. Six rounds of 65. And my 4-iron stops as quick
pionship record with a 36- that was only half of the as his 7-iron," Kisner said. "If
hole score of 130. That was 156-man field. they were firm, I don't think I
barely enough for a one- "The golf course is getta- would have a chance with
shot lead over Kevin Kisner, ble," Woodland said. "If you the way the greens are
one of three players who drive the golf ball in play, situated and the places
came to the final hole with the greens were rolling a they're putting the flags.
a shot at becoming the first little bit better today. I think But being receptive, that's
to post a 62 in the PGA. we'll see some putts go in." my only hope."
Kisner, playing in the same They were going in for just Spieth still has hope in his
group as Woodland, came about everybody. second try at a career
up short of the green at No. Woodland's 36-hole score Grand Slam. Spieth didn't
9 and made bogey for a broke the PGA record by get under par for the tour-
64. one shot, most recently nament until his seventh
Just ahead of them, two- set by Jimmy Walker and hole Friday — the par-3
time U.S. Open champion Robert Streb at Baltusrol. It 16th hole — and he man-
Brooks Koepka narrowly also tied the 36-hole record aged to do enough right
missed a 20-foot birdie putt for all majors, matching for a 66 to get within seven
at No. 9. He had to settle Jordan Spieth at the 2015 shots of the lead.
for being the 15th player in Masters, Martin Kaymer Spieth has battled with his
PGA Championship history at the 2014 U.S. Open at game all year, and his con-
to shoot a 63. Pinehurst No. 2 and Brandt fidence isn't at its peak. It's
And then Charl Schwartzel Snedeker (Royal Lytham & the nature of the course
made it 16 players with his St. Annes in 2012) and Nick that makes him feel he has
eight-birdie round of 63. Faldo (Muirfield in 1992) at a farther climb than the
"They key is to get the ball the British Open. seven shots that separate
in the fairway and attack Koepka ran off three him from Woodland.
from there," Woodland straight birdies after he "A little frustrated at this
said. made the turn and came place in general," Spieth
Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler to the par-5 ninth at 7 un- said. "This course would be
and the late starters Friday der for the round. He hit his phenomenal — and prob-
had the same idea and approach 20 feet above ably is phenomenal — if it's
were on the same track un- the hole and didn't know a not playing soft. You get
til the sky darkened, thun- record was at stake — until away with more. You don't
der rumbled and storms after he missed. have to be as precise. ...
arrived to stop play for "I was just trying to make the Personally, I would prefer
two hours, until it rained so thing, and I really thought I more difficult and firmer,
much the PGA called it a made it," Koepka said. "My faster conditions on the
day. caddie said something greens. Having said that,
The second round was to walking off. I didn't even I would have shot a much
resume at 7 a.m. local time think of it. I've been so in higher score yesterday."
Saturday, and the third the zone, you don't know Woods was 3 over through
round — weather permit- where you are." seven holes of this cham-
ting — was to start 30 min- Koepka was at 8-under pionship, and he is 6 under
utes after the conclusion 132, two shots behind. over his next 18 holes and
of the second round, with Dustin Johnson, the world's appeared to be gaining
threesomes starting on No. 1 player, had a 66 and momentum. Along with his
both sides. joined Schwartzel and three birdies, he saved par
No one from the afternoon Thomas Pieters (66) at 133. from a bunker on the par-
side of the draw finished Woodland and Kisner 3 sixth hole from about 18
more than 12 holes. Woods played in the same group, feet.q