Leishman Sets Pace at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational


Marc Leishman got out of the gate fast at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. The 30-year-old Aussie fired a 6-under 64 on the South Course at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, to take the lead in the $9 million PGA Tour event.

Leishman, whose one and only victory in the States came two years ago in the Travelers Championship, posted eight birdies and two bogeys for a one-stroke lead over American Ryan Moore, South African Charl Schwartzel and England's Justin Rose.

"I drove the ball well,'' said Leishman, who matched 32s on the front and back nines. "It makes this course a lot easier when you're on the fairway. It's pretty tough when you're playing from the rough.

"Then I hit my irons really well and was rolling the ball awesome. So it's a pretty good combination for a tough golf course like this. Something I can hopefully keep going."

Like Leishman and starting on the 10th tee Schwartzel got off to a relatively slow start, with a birdie on his first hole but pars the rest of the way to make the turn in 1-under 34. After a bogey on his 10th hole (the first), Schwartzel warmed up, recording five birdies in the next six holes to come home with a 4-under 31.

"It started off not being my A-game,'' the 2011 Masters champion said. "I was left and right and hitting some great recovery shots and just not losing any momentum. I made a fantastic birdie on the very first hole I played at the trees. I made a whole bunch of pars from there.

"It was maybe after that bogey that I actually started hitting some really decent shots. I hit a great tee shot on (the par-5 second hole, his 11th), and I kept that feeling."

Three back of Leishman in the 76-man field are Americans Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler, Italy's Francesco Molinari and Canada's Graham DeLaet.

Tiger Woods, an eight-time winner at Firestone and the defending champion, got off to a decent start with a 68 to share ninth in the early going with Brandt Snedeker, Keegan Bradley, Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Spaniard Sergio Garcia.

Rory McIlroy, who won the third major of his career two weeks ago in the Open Championship, was among 14 players carding a 69. Also at that number were fellow Grand Slam winners Jim Furyk, Bubba Watson and Adam Scott.

Tim Clark, who squeaked past Furyk last Sunday to win the Canadian Open at Royal Montreal, recorded a 72.

The oddest shot of the day came when Kevin Streelman's drive on the third hole embedded in a tree, leading to a bogey and an opening 78.

For all the scores, visit http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/bridgestone-invitational/leaderboard.html.