PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida — Americans Kevin Na and Jerry Kelly pushed their way to the lead and Tiger Woods sank a clutch birdie putt on his last hole to make the cut during the second round of the Players Championship Friday. Na backed up his opening round 67 with a three-under par 69 to move to eight under 136 at TPC Sawgrass. Veteran Kelly, 48, surprised with an impressive 65 to join Na at the top while Americans Rickie Fowler (69) and Chris Kirk (68) plus South African Brenden Grace (67) and Canadian David Hearn (71) shared third, two shots back at six under. Na held the 54-hole lead at the 2012 Players before fading into a tie for seventh. The 31-year-old said he was much better equipped this time. Woods slammed home a nine-foot birdie on the ninth green, his final hole, to card a round of 71 and get him in at even par, right on the cut line. The 14-time major champion was loose at times as he battled his new swing, notching five bogeys but countering with six birdies. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy failed to bring his A game but scratched out a 71 to be four-under, just four off the pace. Overnight leader Hideki Matsuyama of Japan fell five strokes off the lead after a 74. A handful of big names crashed out with world number seven Jason Day (81) shooting the second worst score of his career to be six-over. Phil Mickelson (76) finished at five-over and Masters champion Jordan Spieth (72) was three over. Coetzee opens 1-shot lead George Coetzee holed out from the fairway for an eagle Saturday on the way to a 6-under 65 and a one-shot lead after the third round of the Mauritius Open. Living up to his status as the highest-ranked player at the tournament, the South African added four birdies to that eagle on No. 7 to move to 11-under 202 overall. He moved clear of compatriot Thomas Aiken (68) and overnight leader Thorbjorn Olesen (70). Singaporean Mardan Mamat was fourth on 8 under ahead of a four-way tie for fifth at the inaugural event on the Indian Ocean island. — Agencies
