Langley, Vegas get to the top

Molder lurks at Greenbrier

Scott Langley is shown in the fairway of the 14th hole Friday during the second round of the Greenbrier Classic golf tournament at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
Scott Langley is shown in the fairway of the 14th hole Friday during the second round of the Greenbrier Classic golf tournament at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- Jhonattan Vegas hasn't had much success since winning his second PGA Tour event as a rookie in 2011. The Greenbrier Classic could give him that needed boost.

photo

AP

Scott Langley shot a second-round 65 and leads the Greenbrier Classic with a 9-under-par 131, which is good for a one stroke lead over seven golfers, including Bryce Molder (Conway).

Vegas shot a 5-under-par 65 to tie Scott Langley for the lead after the second round Friday. They were at 9-under 131 on the Old White TPC course in West Virginia.

Bryce Molder (Conway) had seven birdies and a bogey for a 6-under 64 and a two-round total of 8-under 132 and a share of third place.

Twenty-three golfers were within three shots of the lead, including seven at 8 under.

Vegas doesn't have a top-10 finish this season, but he's looking to change that. He made five birdies during a bogey-free round Friday, including two of his final three holes.

"I feel like I'm playing great, I just haven't been able to put it all together," the Venezuelan said. "But I'm staying patient and working really hard to make it happen, and it's coming together."

Langley didn't have the same birdie explosion as he enjoyed in the first round, when he shot 62 to take the lead.

Starting his round on the back nine, Langley made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 6 and 7 and shot 69.

"Following up a round of 62 is never super easy," Langley said. "I left a lot of putts within 6 inches of the hole, just right in the heart. I need to be a little more assertive [Saturday] on the greens."

Langley and Vegas had a chance to make noise last week at the Travelers Championship. Langley was four strokes behind eventual winner Bubba Watson entering weekend play, while Vegas was six shots back.

Both faded in the final two rounds.

The top four finishers at The Greenbrier not previously eligible for the British Open will earn spots at St. Andrews, provided they are among the top 12 and ties.

"That's one of the goals for the week," Vegas said. "So we're going to try to go get it."

Tiger Woods made little progress after a solid first round but avoided missing consecutive cuts for the first time as a pro. Woods shot 69 Friday and was at 5 under, four shots back.

Woods had more trouble reaching fairways Friday. He found the water to the right on the par-5 17th for the second consecutive day, hit his golf bag with his driver in disgust, then nearly holed his 97-yard fourth shot and made par.

He salvaged his under-par round with a short birdie putt on the par-3 18th. He declined interviews afterward.

Langley is looking to become the third person to become a first-time PGA Tour winner by winning The Greenbrier in the tournament's six-year history.

So, too, is David Hearn, who was among those in the group at 8 under. The Canadian is still looking for his first PGA Tour victory in his 164th event. His best finish was second at the 2013 John Deere Classic.

"This would be a great place for me to win one, but I've got 36 holes of golf [left]," Hearn said. "I'm playing great right now and I look forward to the weekend."

Hearn birdied six of his first eight holes and shot 64. He and Jonathan Byrd were tied for the lead on the back nine before late bogeys slowed their momentum. Byrd shot 69 and also was at 8 under.

Seventy-eight golfers made the cut at 2 under. Michael Putnam had an eagle and four birdies on the back nine to make the cut on the number.

Steve Stricker missed only his third cut since 2010.

Heavy rains stopped play for 18 minutes in the morning. Occasional thunderstorms are forecast through the weekend.

David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) had an even-par round of 70 (137). John Daly (Dardanelle, Razorbacks) and Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) each failed to make the cut.

EUROPEAN PGA

Three tied for lead

PARIS -- Home favorite Victor Dubuisson was in a three-way tie for the lead after the second round of the French Open on Friday, while Ryder Cup teammate Graeme McDowell's bid for a third successive title came to an early end.

Dubuisson and Spain's Rafa Cabrera-Bello had been part of a four-way tie for the lead after the weather-delayed opening round was completed in the morning, and they both carded a 1-under 70 in the second to finish the day level with Martin Kaymer (69). They had a 4-under 138 total.

Kaymer made four birdies to go with a double bogey on the 15th.

McDowell missed the cut on 8 over after a round of 78 that contained two double bogeys, three bogeys and no birdies. It was his worst score in 32 rounds at Le Golf National.

WEB.COM

Landry stays out front

Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) kept his lead at the Nova Scotia Open in Halifax, Nova Scotia, shooting a 4-under 67 Friday for a two-round total of 11-under 131.

Landry is one stroke ahead of D.H. Lee (66) and two ahead of Jamie Lovemark (64) at the Ashburn Golf Club.

Tied for fourth place are Peter Malnati (70), Mark Walker (65) and Michael Arnaud (64).

Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) had a 1-under 70 (138) and Zack Fischer (Little Rock) shot a 1-under 70 (141).

Sebastian Cappelen (Razorbacks) failed to make the cut (144).

Sports on 07/04/2015

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