The Memorial Tournament: Martin Kaymer shares lead with Troy Merritt, Kyoung-Hoon Lee

Alexis Mansanarez

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The Memorial Tournament: Martin Kaymer shares lead with Troy Merritt, Kyoung-Hoon Lee image

There's a crowded field at the top of the leaderboard of the Memorial Tournament.

Troy Merritt, Kyoung-Hoon Lee and Martin Kaymer all share the lead after the second round. The three-way tie for first place (9 under) is followed by tough competition in Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and others who had memorable rounds.

Merritt, who finished his second round 6-under 66, and Lee, who carded 5-under 67, entered the clubhouse well before Kaymer snuck up the leaderboard. At one point Kaymer, who is searching for his first PGA Tour win since the 2014 U.S. Open, had sole possession of the lead but a bogey on the final hole dropped him back into the three-way tie. He finished Friday 4-under 68.

Spieth is right behind the leaders in fourth place (8 under) and again, used his putter to help keep him in contention. He finished with one bogey on the front nine and three birdies to get to 2-under 70.

Fowler also found success with his putter at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. He sits in a sizable tie for fifth place (7 under) with the likes of Emiliano Grillo and Adam Scott.

Fowler, who has been the runner up at the Memorial twice (2010, 2017), recovered from a bogey on the par-4 17th hole to go bogey free on his back nine with two more birdies to shoot a 68.

Justin Rose had a colorful scorecard.

He opened his round with a bogey, two eagles and two birdies. He made the turn and fired off four more birdies to improve on his forgettable first round. Rose finished with the best round of the day, 9-under 63, to move into a share for 11th place (6 under).

Bryson DeChambeau, the 2018 winner, also came back from an over par Round 1. He shot 2-under 70 to sit tied for 54th place (even par). He was close to not making the cut but was able to card three birdies to offset a bogey to play into the weekend. 

Tiger Woods, who has won the Memorial five times, was playing relaxed despite the early hiccup and finished even-par 72 after his second round. He is at 2 under for the tournament.

Some notable names who didn't make the cut (1 over) include Rory McIlroy (2 over), Keegan Bradley (4 over) and Phil Mickelson and Jason Day, who both shot 5 over.

 

Alexis Mansanarez