Trio share lead into the weekend

Britain's Justin Rose double bogeyed the last hole to fall back into a share of the lead with Stephen Ames of Trinidad and Tobago and Ben Curtis after the second round of the Memorial Tournament on Friday.

Rose fired a five-under-par 67 for a seven-under total of 137 at Muirfield Village.

British Open champion Curtis, who had shared the overnight lead with South Africa's Ernie Els, maintained his excellent form with a bogey-free 69. Ames birdied the last to finish with a 68.

South Korea's KJ Choi was tied for fourth place on 138 alongside 1998 champion Fred Couples and world number three Els. Todd Hamilton was seventh on 139, one stroke ahead of world number one Tiger Woods (68).

John Daly, Scott McCarron and Kevin Sutherland were joint ninth on 141. World number two Vijay Singh of Fiji safely made the cut on one-over 145, as did 64-year-old tournament host Jack Nicklaus on 147.

Rose led last week's Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth before back-to-back 72s gave him a finish of tied 11th.

He was also in front at the halfway stage of this year's U.S. Masters before falling away with rounds of 81 and 71.

"I learned halfway is nowhere near," Rose told reporters of his Masters experience.

"I think the lesson I've learned is you've got to stay patient, play shot for shot. Thinking about winning or thinking about leading is irrelevant really, and the better you can do that or not think about winning or leading, the better."

Rose turned professional at 17 after a tie for fourth at the 1998 British Open. He has had a rollercoaster career after a slow start in which he needed to make two trips to the European Tour qualifying school.

With four international victories under his belt, including the Dunhill Championship and the British Masters in 2002, Rose has become a fixture on the European and PGA tours.

The young Briton charged through the field with five birdies in the first nine holes on Friday and was without any dropped strokes until his double bogey at the 18th.

American Curtis, whose form has been in freefall since his British Open victory last July, is on top of the leaderboard through 36 holes for only the second time in his career.

The first time was at the MCI Heritage in April when he led by one shot. However, a six-over-par weekend dropped Curtis into a tie for 25th.

"I think there I chipped in three or four times on Thursday and Friday, so that had a lot to do with it," Curtis said.

"At the weekend I kind of woke up and went back to the old way. I hit the ball fairly good on Saturday and got nothing out of it, and Sunday I hit the ball poorly."

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page