Rory McIlroy shoots 30 on back nine to get into contention at French Open

European Tour French Open leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2016/tournamentid=2016050/leaderboard/index.html

His scorecard reads 70, but what a 70 it was for Rory McIlroy who went out in 40 strokes but shot himself right back into contention with a back nine of 30 !

On a big Sunday for sports in France with their national team playing Iceland for a place in the Euro2016 semi finals he trails Thongchai Jaidee who will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the 100th Open de France at Le Golf National after he carded the only bogey-free round of the day with a 68 that moved him to -8 ahead of Rory and sensational young Korean Jeunghun Wang both at -6.

Defending champion Bernd Wiesberger is at -5 five, two shots clear of 2009 champion Martin Kaymer, Joost Luiten, Alex Noren, Brandon Stone and Andy Sullivan all at -3.

 

Round 4 is well under way under grey skies and light winds in Paris, and Rory has just teed off smashing a huge drive down the right side of the fairway into the first cut of rough.

 

More to follow

 

Bryan Angus

Jason Day tied for the lead at WGC Bridgestone Invitational

WGC Bridgestone Invitational leaderboard http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/bridgestone-invitational/leaderboard.html

With only nine players under par at a very firm and fast Firestone GC it is Jason Day and Scott Piercy who cling to a one shot lead heading into today's final round.

The world's #1 did not bring a hot driver to the course, wild at times off the tee and it was his ability to scramble for par and hole clutch putts that kept him in contention. He made a 40 footer on the 15th and had several par saving putts from 10 feet on his way to a 70 -5 total.
 

Piercy a former RBC Canadian Open winner is in good form after his 2nd place finish at the U.S. Open at Oakmont, and he was totally in control of his game, leading by a shot until the final hole where he yanked his tee shot into the left rough, making a good bogey to finish with 67 -5
 

David Lingmerth of Sweden had a 69 to sit a -4 and US Open champion Dustin Johnson shot 66 to get to -2, along with Charl Schwartzel (67) and William McGirt (70).

Bryan Angus

 

Brooke Henderson leads Cambia Portland Classic in final round

LPGA Tour Cambia Portland Classic leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/cambia-portland-classic/leaderboard

With rounds of 65 68 70 -13 Brooke Henderson has led this Portland Classic from the start and she has a two shot lead this morning heading into the final round in defence of the title she won here last year.

She leads Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, who is -11 with her 71.

All Canadian golf fans remember after weeks of Monday qualifying Brooke won her  card officially after winning this tournament last year and has continued her fine play after she won the Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee in Sammamish, Washington three weeks ago.

 

Although she shot 70 with four birdies, she didn't have her A game as she mentioned in her post game interview.

 

“I played pretty awful today. Definitely want to play better tomorrow. I mean, I hit a lot of good shots. I just didn’t capitalize on my chances. That was the first 12 holes for me

 

She is trying to become the first back-to-back Portland winner since Annika Sorenstam in 2002-03 and with her "bad" round out of the way I think she has a great chance.

Alena Sharp T61 72 73 73 +2  Naomi Young Ko T71 76 69 78 +7...The rest of the Canadians missed the cut.

Bryan Angus

Vancouver's Justin Shin is T2 in China

PGA Tour China Ping An Private Bank Wanda Open leaderboard http://pgatourchina.com/en/golf/gamestation_results.do?id=44

After two rounds Canadian Justin Shin is T2, 70 68 -6, just 2 shots off the lead at the Ping An Private Bank Wanda Open.. Shin was born in Seoul, South Korea, grew up in Vancouver, went to the University of Oregon with Eugene Wong and calls Maple Ridge home these days. He has one win on this PGA Tour China

Eugene Wong is T29 70 73 +1 while Rafael Lee is T70 73 76 +5

Bryan Angus

McGirt shoots 64 to lead WGC Bridgestone

WGC Bridgestone Invitational leaderboard http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/bridgestone-invitational/leaderboard.html

Bill McGirt is playing in his first WGC event because he won the Memorial a month ago and he made the most of his debut with six birdies for a -6 64 three-shot better than some pretty impressive company on a day when only 17 players of the 61-man field broke par

"I fell in love with the place because length is not everything out here,” McGirt said. “You have to drive it in the fairway. You have to drive it in the correct spots in the fairways to be able to attack pins. I love it because you can’t stand up there and just hit it as hard as you want, go find it and hack it on the green. It’s an old, traditional style golf course, which I absolutely love

Jason Day was among three players at 67, while Jordan Spieth somehow managed to post a 68 saving par after par with his putter to offset some wayward drives and sloppy approaches.

U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson shot 69 after taking a week off celebrating his first major with the family in the Bahamas.

Only 17 players of the 61-man field broke par. Daniel Berger, Brooks Koepka and Davis Love all withdrew due to injuries.

Bryan Angus

Martin Laird at home in altitude of Reno Nevada..

PGA Tour Barracuda Championship leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/barracuda-championship/leaderboard.html

Scotland's Martin Laird made eight birdies to lead the Barracuda Championship in the altitude of the Montreux GC in Reno Nevada and if he can keep this up he will return home to play in the Open Championship in two weeks at Royal Troon.

Because the Greenbrier Classic has been canceled next week, a spot in the Open is now on offer to the leading player this week not already eligible.

Laird left Scotland to play golf at the altitude of Colorado State and has lived in Florida his entire professional career. He finished with 15 points in the modified Stableford scoring.

“I played five years at 5,000 feet, so I’m pretty comfortable with the yardages,” Laird said. “It’s hard to make yourself trust it sometimes. I almost know how far I hit my clubs anyway without having to do the adjustments. So that’s a little easier for me. … You’ve got to go with what you think it is and hit your shot.”

Big hitting Gary Woodland who won here in 2013  is on 14 points along with Camilo Villegas and Greg Chalmers.

T15th at 9 points are Graham DeLaet  who is playing for the first time in a month dealing with a bad case if the yips, and Nick Taylor.

Brooke Henderson shoots 65, leads in Portland

LPGA Tour Cambia Portland Classic leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/cambia-portland-classic/leaderboard

Defending champion Brooke Henderson shot a -7 65 to take a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the LPGA Cambia Portland Classic.

She obviously is very comfortable on this course, called Columbia Edgewater as she hit 16 greens and made nine birdies on an ideal calm day for scoring.

“I love tree-lined courses, and that’s very much what this course is. With the bent grass, which is kind of what I grew up on, I really like it. It suits my eye,” Henderson said. “Then winning here, that gives me those extra vibes and adrenaline, which I think will help as the week goes on. This golf course, being out here in the Northwest, in the beautiful temperature, I like wearing long sleeves and pants.”

Angela Stanford, Demi Runas and Mariajo Uribe each shot 67 while Carlota Ciganda, Jaye Marie Green, Ayako Uehara and Daniela Iacobelli shot 68.

In at 69 are Suzann Pettersen who won here in 2011 and 2013, Sarah Jane Smith, Lee-Anne Pace, Briana Mao and Jiayi Zhou.

Other Canadian scores: Alena Sharp E 72, Anne Catherine Tanguay +4 76, Lorie Kane +4 76 Naomi Young Ko +4 76 AJ Eathorne +4 76 Samantha Richdale +5 77