SAN DIEGO — Jordan Spieth turned out to be the star attraction Friday playing with Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines. ADVERTISING SAN DIEGO — Jordan Spieth turned out to be the star attraction Friday playing with Tiger Woods at Torrey
SAN DIEGO — Jordan Spieth turned out to be the star attraction Friday playing with Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines.
Spieth again showed game well beyond his 20 years with a 9-under 63 on the North Course, giving him a one-shot lead over Stewart Cink going into the weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open. Cink drilled a 3-wood from 280 yards onto the green at the par-5 ninth on the tougher South Course for a two-putt birdie and a 71.
Woods rarely gets upstaged at Torrey Pines, where his eight professional wins include the 2008 U.S. Open.
But in his first competition in six weeks, Woods hardly looked the part as the defending champion. He did not make birdie on any of the par 5s for the second straight day, and a three-putt bogey on the par-5 ninth hole on the North gave him a 71. He was nine shots behind.
Phil Mickelson’s ailing back wasn’t much better and he withdrew Friday night because of muscle pain.
Mickelson shot a 1-over 73 on the South Course in the second round, leaving him eight strokes behind Spieth. Mickelson said after the round that he feared getting into bad habits by altering his swing to keep his back from hurting. This is hometown tournament and he said he wanted to keep playing.
His management company released a statement late Friday evening that Mickelson had decided to withdraw. Mickelson said he would talk to doctors to figure out the best course of action. He’s scheduled to defend his title next week in the Phoenix Open.
Spieth was at 10-under 134 and will be in the last group Saturday with Cink and Nicolas Colsaerts, who shot 67 on the South and was two shots behind. The final two rounds will be on the South, which is about 600 yards longer and on Friday played more than 4½ shots harder.
BAHAMAS LPGA CLASSIC
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Jessica Korda took the second-round lead in the season-opening Bahamas LPGA Classic, birdieing four of her last seven holes in high wind for a 7-under 66.
The 20-year-old Korda had an 11-under 135 total on Atlantis Resort’s Ocean Club course. She won the 2012 Women’s Australian Open for her lone LPGA Tour title.
Paula Creamer, playing alongside Korda, was a stroke back after a 65.
Michelle Wie of Honolulu and Monday qualifier Jenny Suh were tied for third at 9 under. Wie had a 65, and Suh shot 66.
Lydia Ko, the 16-year-old New Zealander who shared the first-round lead, was three strokes back at 8 under after a 70. The fourth-ranked Ko is making her first start as an LPGA Tour member. She won the Canadian Women’s Open the last two years as an amateur and closed last season with a win as a pro in a non-tour event in Taiwan.
QATAR MASTERS
DOHA, Qatar — England’s Steve Webster shot a 2-under 70 for a share of the third-round lead with Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello in the Qatar Masters.
Cabrera-Bello had a 73 to match Webster at 12-under 204 at Doha Golf Club. France’s Adrien Saddier (64), South Africa’s Thomas Aiken (70) and Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen (68) were a stroke back.
