Scott Stretches Lead at Bay Hill


Though he wasn't quite as torrid as in the first round when he carded a course-tying 10-under 62 to go up by three shots, Adam Scott was still good enough in tougher conditions to extend his lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The $6.2 million PGA Tour event began Thursday at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando.

After carding six birdies and a bogey through 17 holes, the 33-year-old Aussie closed with a three-putt bogey on the last for a 4-under 68. Scott said after his opening round that he was suffering from flu-like symptoms, and noted before teeing off Friday he still wasn't feeling up to par.

Despite the illness, through 36 holes Scott stands at 14-under 130, seven strokes ahead of J.B. Holmes, who followed up his opening 68 with a 69, Chesson Hadley (68) and Italy's Francesco Molinari (70).

Scott's 36-hole total matches the tournament record shared by Tom Watson and Andy Bean in 1981. His seven-stroke lead at the halfway mark breaks the previous record of four, held by Paul Azinger (1988) and Tiger Woods (2002), who both went on to victories those years.

Keegan Bradley fired a 67 to take a share of fifth at 138 with fellow Americans Jason Kokrak, Morgan Hoffman and Brandt Snedeker, and Wales' Jamie Donaldson, who all posted 1-under 71s.

Bradley, the 2011 PGA champion who uses a long, anchored putter, was spotless on Bay Hill's greens, needing only 25 putts en route to six birdies and a bogey. "The putter was the difference," he told reporters. "Finally made a few putts. (It) felt so good. I feel like I've got some good mojo going into the weekend."

Trailing Scott by nine strokes are Sweden's Freddie Jacobson (68), Japan's Ryo Ishikawa (74), England's Ian Poulter (71) and Americans Matt Every (70), John Merrick (74) and Charles Howell III (71).

With several players yet to complete their second rounds, the weekend cut was tentatively set at 2-over 146. Among those heading home are two-time major winner Angel Cabrera (147), Rickie Fowler (149) and 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose of England, who ballooned from a 71 on Thursday to a 79 Friday.

For updated scoring, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.