* Sabbatini takes control after firing a 69
* Woods lurks just one shot back
(Adds detail, paras seven and 12)
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
DUBLIN, Ohio, June 1 (Reuters) – Four-times champion Tiger
Woods looked close to his very best in tough conditions at the
Memorial tournament on Friday, ending a gruelling 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.
“I missed a couple out there, but overall I knew in these
conditions to shoot something in the 60s was going to be a
pretty good effort.”
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 number two Rory McIlroy, winner of last year’s
U.S. Open, among those missing the cut.
Continued…
