Trending
The Associated Press
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland -- Ludvig Aberg has won on the European tour and PGA Tour in the year since leaving college, and another 6-under 64 in the Scottish Open on Friday put him in a position to win a tournament sanctioned by both tours.
Aberg kept a clean card on a stunning day of sunshine along the Firth of Forth, picking up four birdies in an eight-hole stretch around the turn and making it look easy along the way.
He was at 12-under 128 and had a one-shot lead over Antoine Rozner of France, who also had a 64 in a strong bid to stick around in Scotland for another week. The leading three players earn spots in the British Open, and Rozner is well ahead of the pack.
Also in the mix was Rory McIlroy, returning from a three-week break to digest everything that went wrong late in the final round at the U.S. Open.
His golf at The Renaissance Club makes it looks as though he is ready to move forward. McIlroy had a 66 and for the second day felt like he should have had a few more birdies from chances in the 10-foot range.
Tour Champions
AKRON, Ohio -- Steven Alker overcame a double bogey on his fourth hole with three birdies on the back nine at Firestone for a 5-under 65, giving him a one-shot lead over Steve Stricker going into the weekend at the Kaulig Companies Championship.
Stricker went back to his old putter for this PGA Tour Champions major, though he's not entirely sure he'll stick with it. He did well enough for a 68 on the tough South course while still regretting a few birdie chances he missed.
Alker, who was at 7-under 133, got off to a hot start with four birdies on the opening seven holes. The problem was the 450-yard fourth hole with a fairway that slopes severely to the left. From the rough, it took two more shots to get near the green, leading to double bogey.
But he picked up birdies on the par 3s at Nos. 5 and 7, and kept bogeys off his card to keep ahead of Stricker.
Kenny Perry (69) and Robert Karlsson of Sweden (66) were three shots behind.
Celebrity Tahoe
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Nev. -- Carolina Panthers receiver Adam Thielen took a one-point lead over former tennis player Mardy Fish on Friday after the first round of the American Century Championship. Thielen had an eagle and three birdies at at Edgewood Tahoe in a 24-point round under the modified Stableford scoring system.
Players receive a point for par, three for birdie and six for eagle and two points are deducted for double bogey or worse. NHL player Joe Pavelski and former major league pitcher Derek Lowe were tied for third with 21 points.
Charles Barkley had two front-nine birdies in a three-point round -- the first time in tournament history that he has had positive points. The former NBA star was tied for 48th.
LPGA Tour
EVIAN, France -- Japan's Ayaka Furue is holding a three-shot clubhouse lead at the Evian Championship. The second round was suspended because of a risk of storm and lightning on Friday. Organizers decided to evacuate players from the golf course in the afternoon because of the adverse weather conditions in the region of Evian and decided to stop play for the rest of the day after 6 p.m. local time.