Genesis Invitational: Tiger Woods withdraws as Patrick Cantlay pulls ahead and Rory McIlroy improves | Golf News

Patrick Cantlay took management of the Genesis Invitational by constructing a five-shot midway lead, as Rory McIlroy bounced again from a gradual begin and Tiger Woods withdrew by way of sickness.

Cantlay adopted an opening-round 64 by firing an eagle and 5 birdies in a bogey-free 65 on Friday at Riviera Nation Membership, lifting him to 13 below and with a transparent benefit over closest challengers Jason Day, Luke Checklist and Mackenzie Hughes.

Corey Conners holds fifth spot forward of the group containing Will Zalatoris, who made a surprising hole-in-one on the par-three 14th, with world No 1 Scottie Scheffler an additional two strokes again on 4 below after experiencing extra placing struggles in his second-round 70.

McIlroy moved up the leaderboard after bouncing again from his opening-round 74 to card a blemish-free 66 and safely make it by way of to the weekend, whereas Woods’ PGA Tour comeback ended when he pulled out of the occasion with “flu-like signs” and “feeling dizzy”.

Frantic Friday in California

Cantlay drained a 15-foot eagle on the par-five first and recovered from a wayward tee shot on the par-three fourth to pitch to 10 ft and scramble a par, then holed from the same distance to birdie the eighth and attain the flip in 32.

The previous FedExCup champion rolled in from 15 ft on the par-five Eleventh and ended a run of pars by firing his method to shut vary on the fifteenth, then took benefit of the par-five seventeenth to increase his cushion over the chasing pack.

A final-hole bogey from Day noticed the previous world No 1 put up a two-under 69 and drop again to eight below alongside Checklist and Hughes, who charged into competition with a second-round 65, whereas Corey Conners is in fifth spot after a birdie-birdie end lifted him to seven below.

Zalatoris’ ace earned him and his caddie a automotive and was the highlights of his second-round 70, with Scheffler within the group tied-Eleventh that accommodates Max Homa as he chases a primary victory since The Gamers final March.

McIlroy two-putted from 15 ft to benefit from the par-five first and adopted a 20-foot birdie on the third by making an eagle on the par-five Eleventh, then picked up one other shot on the seventeenth to go into the weekend on two below.

Solely the highest 50 and ties make it by way of to the weekend on the PGA Tour’s newest Signature Occasion, with Justin Thomas – taking part in alongside Woods and former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick amongst these making an early exit.

Jordan Spieth additionally did not progress after being disqualified for signing his scorecard incorrectly. He signed for a 3 on the par-three fourth, when he really made bogey, with the PGA Tour confirming his disqualification after his spherical.

What occurred to Woods?

Woods birdied the opening spherical as he seemed to battle by way of to the weekend however slipped under the reduce mark with back-to-back bogeys from the fourth gap, then made a two-putt par on the sixth gap and hit his tee shot onto the seventh fairway earlier than calling an early finish to his spherical.

The 48-year-old had his head in his arms as he was taken from the course on a buggy, with the PGA Tour confirming that Woods’ mid-round withdrawal – his third in his final six official begins – was attributable to sickness moderately than damage.

Rob McNamara, Woods’ long-time enterprise accomplice and vice chairman of TGR Ventures, later revealed that the 15-time main champion required an IV after getting dizzy and feeling unwell previous to him calling time on his spherical.

“So he began feeling some flu-like signs final night time,” McNamara advised reporters. “Awoke this morning, they have been worse than the night time earlier. He had a bit of little bit of a fever and that was higher through the warm-up however then when he acquired on the market, and was strolling and taking part in, he began feeling dizzy.

“Finally the medical doctors are saying he is acquired some – probably some kind of flu and that he was dehydrated. He is been handled with an IV bag and he is doing a lot, significantly better. Not bodily in any respect, his again’s effective. It was all medical sickness, dehydration, which is now the signs are reversing themselves now that he is had an IV.”

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