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SPORTS Saturday 25 auguSt 2018
Koepka powers into a share

of the lead at Northern Trust

By DOUG FERGUSON At least he got this one out and short. The idea is to
AP Golf Writer of the way early, taking five use the short putter for the
PARAMUS, N.J. (AP) — shots from a mangled lie in medium-length putts that
Brooks Koepka showed deep rough behind the first have been a struggle for
some muscle and un- green. him. At the PGA Champi-
leashed a monstrous finish "That was not a fun start," onship and at Ridgewood,
Friday to share the lead in Johnson said. "There was however, he has found a
The Northern Trust. nothing to do but laugh at good stroke with the long Jamie Lovemark tees off on the eighth hole during the second
Tiger Woods missed yet an- that point." putter and felt no need to round of the Northern Trust golf tournament in Paramus, N.J.,
other putt and was relieved Bryson DeChambeau had change. Friday, Aug. 24, 2018.
to still be playing. a 66 and joined Johnson at The biggest difference is Associated Press
Koepka spent most of 134. The group at 7-under confidence. He is starting
the second round trading 135 included Sean O'Hair, to recognize the player
birdies and bogeys, go- who is No. 112 in the FedEx who reached No. 1 in the
ing nowhere. One swing Cup and needs to get to world a few years ago, and
changed everything on No. 70 by the third playoff only a month ago was get-
the 631-yard 13th hole at event at the BMW Cham- ting closer to falling out of
Ridgewood Country Club. pionship being played this the top 100. The third-place
From just under 310 yards, year at Aronimink, his home finish at Bellerive at least
he swung 3-wood as hard club outside Philadelphia. put him back in the top 50,
as he could and saw the He already is planning to but did a world of good be-
tight draw that had been play the member-guest a tween the ears.
missing all day. It stopped few weeks later, but O'Hair "It's just been very hard to
20 feet from the hole, Ko- would love to play Aronim- find that consistency for
epka made it for eagle ink for a $9 million purse. me this year, and I've been
and then closed with three Woods was not part of the chipping away at it the last
straight birdies for a 6-un- action, even though he hit couple months and it all
der 65. the ball beautifully. Woods came good at the PGA,"
He tied Jamie Lovemark, had a birdie putt on every Scott said. "And teeing off
who shot a 66. hole until the par-3 15th, this week, I felt the most
"I wasn't happy the first 11 when his tee shot rolled just confident of any tourna-
holes the way I hit it," Ko- off the green against the ment this year. I just couldn't
epka said. "When I hit that collar. All he had to show wait to get up here, really."
3-wood, it all clicked. I felt for it was two birdies, giving Koepka knows all about
like I was finally able to re- him four birdies in 36 holes. confidence with two major
lease the golf club. Just He finished with a three- trophies sitting at home in
tried to hit as hard as I putt bogey from just inside Florida. The knock has been
could, big draw. Aimed at 30 feet, giving him another that he hasn't won enough
the tree on the right and 71. He made the cut on regular PGA Tour events, so
tried to draw it back to the the number, leaving him 10 he wanted to treat the Fe-
flag. When I did that, every- shots behind. dEx Cup playoffs like majors
thing started to click." "The name of the game is in how he prepared, even
The U.S. Open and PGA you've got to make putts, down to renting a house
champion took it from and you've got to roll it," and bringing his own chef,
there. Woods said. "No mat- trainer and regular crew.
Lovemark, winless in 135 ter how good your drive, Five shots out of the lead,
starts as a pro, made five you've still got to roll them he tugged a tee shot into
birdies in a six-hole stretch and still got to make putts, the left bunker on the
around the turn and was and I didn't putt very well reachable par-4 12th, and
the first to reach 10-under today. I had a hard time hit a clean sand shot to 3
132. seeing my lines, and con- feet for birdie. Then came
Before long, a list of con- sequently didn't make any- a big drive on the 13th, and
tenders lined up behind thing." a 3-wood that carried him
them in an entertaining Jordan Spieth made putts to his big finish.
start to the FedEx Cup play- to get off to a good start, Kevin Tway was the only
offs. only to give it all back with other play to reach the
Adam Scott, building on a triple bogey on his 10th 13th green in two. He shot
his confidence from play- hole of the round at No. 18. 69 and was part of the
ing in the final group at the Worse than pulling his tee group at 7-under 135.
PGA Championship, had a shots into the trees, worse "Sometimes it doesn't al-
64 for the low round of the than the penalty shot, was ways go as perfectly
tournament and was one Spieth sweeping in a 10- planned as you'd like, and
shot behind. Another shot inch putt for double bogey then you make one good
back was Dustin Johnson, only to stub the putter and golf swing, and all of a sud-
the world No. 1, who had move the ball only a few den you've got that feel-
another 67 that for the sec- inches. ing, you've got that rhythm
ond straight day featured Scott continues to keep and then you can build off
a triple bogey on his card. two putters in the bag, long that," Koepka said.q