PRO GOLF roundup

PGA

Koepka takes lead at Northern Trust

PARAMUS, N.J.

Brooks Koepka showed some muscle and unleashed a monstrous finish Friday to share the lead in The Northern Trust.

Tiger Woods missed yet another putt and was relieved to still be playing.

Koepka spent most of the second round trading birdies and bogeys, going nowhere. One swing changed everything on the 631-yard 13th hole at Ridgewood Country Club. From just under 310 yards, he swung 3-wood as hard as he could and saw the tight draw that had been missing all day.

It stopped 20 feet from the hole, Koepka made it for eagle and then closed with three straight birdies for a 6-under 65.

He tied Jamie Lovemark, who shot a 66.

“I wasn’t happy the first 11 holes the way I hit it,” Koepka said. “When I hit that 3-wood, it all clicked. I felt like I was finally able to release the golf club. Just tried to hit as hard as I could, big draw. Aimed at the tree on the right and tried to draw it back to the flag. When I did that, everything started to click.”

The U.S. Open and PGA champion took it from there.

Lovemark, winless in 135 starts as a pro, made five birdies in a six-hole stretch around the turn and was the first to reach 10-under 132.

LPGA

Park shoots 64 to move one stroke back

REGINA, Saskatchewan

Sung Hyun Park emerged from the scorer’s tent to a swarm of fans after shooting an 8-under 64 on Friday in the second round of the CP Women’s Open.

Few seemed to notice the defending champion and world’s top-ranked female player as she strolled undisturbed down a path at Wascana Country Club.

These fans had only one person on their minds. Brooke Henderson is the star of this show, especially after a second straight 66 left her a stroke behind leader Amy Yang.

“Brooke is almost like Canada’s Tiger Woods,” Park said after her second straight round with Henderson and Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist. “I was really surprised at how many fans came out to support Brooke today. To witness that was pretty awesome.”

Associated Press