Golf: Tiger falters at Bridgestone

Published 12:00 am Friday, August 5, 2011

Associated Press
AKRON, Ohio ó Rickie Fowler had eight birdies and an eagle to give himself another shot at winning. Adam Scott did well enough to stay in the lead. PGA Tour rookie Keegan Bradley got in on the action late.
It seemed as if everyone was in contention Friday at the Bridgestone Invitational.
Except for the guy most everyone came to see.
On another soft day that was ripe for low scores, Tiger Woods missed a 2-foot putt and didnít make enough birdies to atone for his short-game mistakes during a 1-over 71 that left him in the middle of the pack.
He was only seven shots behind, but had 35 players in front of him at Firestone.
ěToday was not very good,î Woods said.
It was good enough for Scott, except for making the putts he holed in the opening round of this World Golf Championship. He had a 70, which is never bad at Firestone in any condition.
After opening with a 62, Scott was at 8-under 132 along with Ryan Moore (66), Fowler (64) and Bradley (65). Jason Day bogeyed his last hole for a 70 and was one shot behind with Martin Laird (67) and Robert Karlsson (65).
Woods is not out of it yet, but his short game was of no help to him. The shocker was the 2-foot par putt he missed on the 14th, followed by another bogey on the 15th set up by an ordinary chip. His back nine was marred by a double bogey when his approach from the rough went just beyond the green and took a wicked hop into a suspect lie in the bunker.