Justin Rose finds a rich vein of form at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
Monday 10 August 2015 00:04, UK
Justin Rose lit up Firestone Country Club with a sparkling 63 to earn a share of the third-round lead with Jim Furyk at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Rose went into the third day having gone 30 holes without a birdie, carding 17 pars and one bogey in a frustrating 71 on day two, but a vast improvement on the greens yielded seven birdies in a flawless round.
The former US Open champion birdied the first two holes and added another at the eighth, and he continued to back up his sublime play from tee to green as he picked up four more shots over the last six holes - capping a superb day with a 40-footer for a three at the last.
"If I go back to (Friday) I was really pleased with the way I played. I drove the ball phenomenally well and had wedges in my hand all day," said Rose after vaulting to nine under par for the tournament.
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"I felt like I could have birdied most of the holes out there and it just didn't happen. It would have been easy to get frustrated (on Friday) and go backwards, but I think (Saturday) was a product of staying patient (on Friday) and still believing I was playing well."
Asked if his form was pointing toward a second major title ahead of next week's US PGA Championship, Rose added: "I would say yes. If I look at the Masters, that was huge shot in the arm in terms of confidence as I had not played any good golf before then.
"Jordan (Spieth) was incredibly hard to beat that week, but take him out and I felt I put in a major-winning performance.
"Going into the final round at St Andrews I was nine under par - the same mark as Marc Leishman and Zach Johnson, who made the play-off, so I just needed that hot Sunday. At least I am knocking on that door a little bit again, which is nice."
Furyk enjoyed a four-shot lead at the halfway stage after opening with a pair of 66s, but he found the going tougher on day three as he offset three birdies with two bogeys while scrambling a number of clutch pars in a battling 69.
Lowry still in hunt
The leading pair have a two-stroke advantage over Shane Lowry, who got within one of playing-partner Furyk after making his fourth birdie of the day at the 12th only to bogey the next two holes after wayward drives.
But the Irishman got back to seven under with a well-crafted four at the long 16th before parring in to complete a 67, and he told Sky Sports 4: "Obviously this is a massive tournament and it's going to be a big day for me tomorrow.
"Going out here in contention is a lot different than going out in contention in a smaller event back home, but we're going to try and hit the first tee shot down the middle of the fairway and take it from there."
Australia's Steven Bowditch had set the early clubhouse target after a superb 63 and was joined on five under by Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson and double Masters champion Bubba Watson.
Poulter carded seven birdies and two bogeys in his 65 and said: "It feels pretty good. I have not played my best golf over the last couple of months but got off to a nice start today which was what I needed.
"I did some good putting practice last week at Woburn and had a little swing change two weeks ago at my brother's centre in Newport Pagnell and am hitting it better and putting better as well."
World No 2 Jordan Spieth has his work cut out to replace Rory McIlroy at the top of the rankings with a victory on Sunday, the 22-year-old carding a double bogey on the 18th to shoot 72 and lie nine shots off the lead.
