Rickie Fowler moves one stroke off pace after 65 in Virginia
Saturday 1 August 2015 22:19, UK
In-form Rickie Fowler posted a second round six-under-par 65 to move just a stroke off the pace at the half-way stage of the Quicken Loans National in Virginia.
This year’s Players Championship winner came home in just 30 strokes – including birdies at each of the last three holes – to move within a shot of early leader Ryo Ishikawa.
Fowler moved 16 places up the leaderboard on Friday and feels his game is in good shape ahead of the weekend.
The 26-year-old, who also won the Scottish Open in July, said: “I’m swinging really well and not putting myself in bad positions.
“The only disappointment was not making birdie at any of the par fives. But it’s a great looking course and I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
Fowler, however, trails joint first round leader Ishikawa by a single shot. The young Japanese golfer followed a 63 on Thursday with a topsy-turvy 68 that included just seven pars.
Ishikawa offset seven birdies with four bogeys and ended his round by holing out from 18 feet on the final green.
But it was not a great day for Retief Goosen who had been joint-leader with Ishikawa after 18 holes.
The two-time US Open champion from South Africa struggled to a two-over-par 73, and is now five shots adrift.
In a packed leaderboard, the top 33 players are separated by just six strokes at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville.
Among those two shots off the pace, and in a tie-for-fifth, are Tiger Woods, Jimmy Walker and Englishman Greg Owen.
Woods carded his joint best-of-year 66, while fellow American Walker fired a best-of-day 63, a round that included an eagle, seven birdies and a bogey.
As for Owen, the 43-year-old from Mansfield posted a bogey-free 68.
