Firestone Country Club looked a little like a U.S. Open venue Friday as scores rose at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
The difficult, tree-lined course has hosted majors in the past, and the top players found it difficult again in Round 2 with the wind up and the course playing firm and fast.
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Jason Day survived the conditions to take sole possession of the lead at 4 under. Day had three birdies and two bogeys to shoot a 1-under 69 — one of the few under-par rounds of the day — in Round 2.
David Lingmerth is one shot behind Day at 3 under after firing an impressive 3-under 67.
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First-round leader William McGirt shot a 4-over 74 with a double bogey on the 18th — which played as the most difficult hole Friday. McGirt won in Ohio earlier this year when he captured the Memorial Tournament. He is now tied for third at 2 under.
Emiliano Grillo and Scott Piercy, who finished T-2 at the U.S. Open two weeks ago, are tied with McGirt at 2 under.
Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth lead a group at 1 under, tied for sixth. Spieth reached 3 under at one point in Round 2, but dropped a couple shots coming in. Scott made an excellent downhill birdie putt on the par-4 17th hole to get to 3 under on the day, but he dropped a shot on 18 for the second straight day.
Adam Scott is contending for his second WGC victory of 2016. #QuickHits https://t.co/IwhO697F5F
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 1, 2016
The tough conditions have left a lot of players still in contention in this limited-field event. But Day is a tough player to gain strokes on, so it's important for the players around even par to shoot a good score Saturday.