BETHESDA, MARYLAND – Tiger Woods clawed his way back into contention at the AT&T National while Hunter Mahan took control with a blistering second round six-under 65 to open a two-shot lead at the Congressional Country Club Friday. Mahan, who is seven-under 135 overall, captured the WGC Match Play event and Houston Open earlier this year and is seeking to become the first player to register three wins for the season. Seven birdies and a lone bogey catapulted the American up the leaderboard, two clear of compatriots Robert Garrigus (67) and Jimmy Walker (69), and Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge (69), who are at 137. Woods is three shots further adrift on two-under. Mahan birdied the first but a bogey on the next halted his momentum until he picked up shots on four of his final six holes on the front nine to ensure his went out in 32. A string of six pars followed before he sandwiched a clutch par save on 17 with birdies on the previous hole and the difficult last to pad his advantage out to two shots. Woods is tied 11th at the halfway mark after a solid three-under 68. On a scorching day in Bethesda, conditions again proved tough for a majority of the field but Woods remained cool under the pressure, despite likening the layout to that of a major championship. “It's playing like a US Open, it really is. It's quick, it's dry. You shoot something in the 60s and I think that would have been a good score,” the former world No. 1 said of the difficulty. “I shot 68 today, which was a very good score. I'm only five back and I'm right there.” Bourdy opens narrow lead In Portrush, Northern Ireland, Frenchman Gregory Bourdy opened a 1-shot lead in the second round of the Irish Open as Rory McIlroy edged his way back toward the leaderboard Friday. Bourdy had an eagle on his second hole and six birdies and three bogeys to move to 12-under 132, ahead of Englishman Mark Foster, who also carded a 5-under 67 for second place outright. Former US Open champion McIlroy climbed 29 places and into a tie for 24th with his 3-under 69 with five birdies and two bogeys on the Royal Portrush links course. Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington moved into contention with a second straight 67 to sit two off the lead and part of a three-way tie for third. US PGA champion Keegan Bradley missed the cut at his first tournament in Europe after a 1-under 71 on the second day to go with his 1-over 73 Thursday for even par overall. Felibert leads in Arkansas In Rogers, Arkansas, Venezuela rookie Veronica Felibert fired a career-best six-under 65 to seize a one-shot lead after the opening round of the LPGA Tour's NW Arkansas Championship Friday. Felibert got into the tournament as a second alternate after she missed the cut in her three previous events. This is just her fifth official start on the Tour. Reigning LPGA Championship winner Feng Shanshan of China was in second, one shot back of Felibert. Feng shot a five-under 66 and is alone in second place. South Korea's Park In-bee shot a four-under 67 and is tied for third place with Karine Icher and MJ Hur. Park lost in a playoff last week at the Manulife Classic. World No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan continued to struggle in round one. The two-time defending champ is tied for 76th after shooting a two-over 73. — Agencies
