McIlroy misses third straight cut DUBLIN, Ohio — Four-time champion Tiger Woods looked close to his very best in tough conditions at the Memorial tournament Friday, ending a grueling second round one shot behind pacesetting South African Rory Sabbatini. In pursuit of a 73rd PGA Tour victory and his second this year, Woods carded a three-under-par 69 at a wet and windy Muirfield Village Golf Club, finishing level with fellow Americans Scott Stallings (73) and Spencer Levin (72). “I'm pleased with the way I played today,” Woods told reporters after mixing five birdies with a double-bogey at the par-three 12th. Sabbatini was one stroke better at six-under on 138, having had to settle for a second successive 69 after missing a five-foot birdie putt at the last. Several big names, however, struggled on the soggy, ultra-long Muirfield Village layout with Masters champion Bubba Watson and world No. 2 Rory McIlroy, winner of last year's US Open, among those missing the cut. American Steve Stricker, who clinched last year's Memorial tournament, carded a 70 to finish at one under, one stroke better than British world No. 1 Luke Donald (73). Sabbatini, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, took over at the top when he drained an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-five 15th and then parred the last three holes to retain control. McIlroy missed his third consecutive cut worldwide after battling to a seven-over-par 79 to finish well down the leaderboard at six-over 150. He failed to record a single birdie and wound up with two double-bogeys, one at the par-five 11th where he remarkably hit a shot backwards into water and another at the 14th, where he drove into water. “I hit some good shots but it just seems like every time I go out there I make one or two big numbers and that sort of throws me,” McIlroy said. Lewis tied with Miyazato In New Jersey, Stacy Lewis and Mika Miyazato both shot 6-under 65 share the lead after the opening round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic Friday. Paula Creamer and Mariajo Uribe are tied for third at 4 under at the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club. Maude-Aimee Leblanc is at 3 under, while seven players are another shot back, including Lexi Thompson and Christina Kim. Yani Tseng shot an even-par 71 while defending champion Brittany Lincicome finished with a 72. The morning half of the field had the better of the weather, as skies darkened and the winds picked up around midday. Uribe was the only one of the leaders with an afternoon tee time. Miyazato, who is seeking her first LPGA title, played in the first group and got off to a fast start. She birdied Nos. 3 and 5, then took advantage of the wind to reach the par-5 ninth in two. She drained a 20-foot eagle putt with a left-to-right break to make the turn in 3 under. “The second shot I think was 220,” Miyazato said. “I hit a 7-wood. I thought it was more short than on the green.” She birdied two par 3s on the back, Nos. 11 and 17. Lewis, who won her second LPGA title in Mobile in April, was in the middle of her round when the conditions started to change. Playing the back nine first, she made the turn in 2 under before starting her second nine with a birdie, a double bogey and an eagle. Lewis reached the green at the par-5 ninth in two but missed a seven-foot eagle putt that would have given her the outright lead. But she said she's been playing with a lot of confidence over the last 14 months since claiming her first career win at the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
