Harrington holds lead, Tiger preaches patience

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This article was published 08/08/2009 (6207 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AKRON, Ohio — Padraig Harrington broke par for the second straight day, something he hasn’t done in four months. Two more days like that and it could lead to something he hasn’t done in a year.

Without a win since the PGA Championship, Harrington tread carefully across Firestone on Friday for a 1-under 69 that gave him a one-shot lead over Tim Clark (68) going into the weekend at the Bridgestone Invitational.

Harrington didn’t put much stock into his opening round of 64, and he wasn’t ready to declare himself the favourite to win his first World Golf Championship. Even so, he conceded that consecutive good rounds were helpful.

“I’m obviously pleased,” said Harrington, who was at 7-under 133. “I shot a good score yesterday — put me up there — and it’s nice to shoot a reasonable score to back it up. Break 70 on the weekend a few more times and I should be doing OK.”

Scott Verplank went 35 holes without a bogey until hitting into the trees on the 18th hole and dropping a shot for a 69, leaving him alone in third at 135.

Tiger Woods, a six-time winner at Firestone, was among 20 players within five shots of the lead, although he found himself in a peculiar spot after an even-par 70. He was tied for 13th, the first time after any round at Firestone he has been out of the top 10.

He was at 2-under 138, the same score he had in 2007 when he went on to win by eight.

“You just have to be very patient,” said Woods, coming off a victory last week in the Buick Open with the final major of the year looming next week at Hazeltine. “This course is playing like it normally does, and it’s very similar to a major championship. A good number this week is going to be somewhere in the high 60s, and more than likely you can move up the leaderboard.”

Steve Stricker (69), Jerry Kelly (65) and Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand (70) were at 4-under 136, with big-hitting Alvaro Quiros of Spain also shooting a 65 to lead the group at 137. Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont., fired a 66 to join Quiros at 3 under.

Phil Mickelson, playing for the first time since his wife’s surgery for breast cancer last month, made a few great escapes from the rough and shot 69 to finish six shots behind Harrington.

Except for his three majors that he won with Sunday rallies, Harrington had not been atop the leaderboard anywhere in the world since the Irish Open more than two years ago. He cares only about keeping in the mix, with an eye toward the back nine Sunday.

But this was different.

The Irishman, never satisfied with his swing, has spent most of the season on his mechanics, to the point that his scores have suffered. He once missed five straight cuts, and he has yet to finish in the top 10 since his season-opener at Abu Dhabi.

— The Associated Press

WGC leaderboard

Padraig Harrington 64-69 — 133

Tim Clark 66-68 — 134

Scott Verplank 66-69 — 135

Prayad Marksaeng 66-70 — 136

Steve Stricker 67-69 — 136

Jerry Kelly 71-65 — 136

Woody Austin 69-68 — 137

Alvaro Quiros 72-65 — 137

Zach Johnson 67-70 — 137

Hunter Mahan 68-69 — 137

Mike Weir 71-66 — 137

Robert Allenby 68-69 — 137