Lee one shot off lead in Phoenix Open

Prior to the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the two-time major victor expressed bluntly his dislike for the course, despite finishing runner-up in the past two years and fifth in 2012, adding that he was only at the event because of his sponsors.

Jack Maguire is playing in his second PGA Tour event of his young professional career at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and while he won’t make the cut, he will leave TPC Scottsdale with an unforgettable memory. So is Rickie Fowler. I have nothing against the fans and the tournament.

“I holed some putts, maybe three or four putts outside 20 feet, and I haven’t done that for a while”, said the 28-year-old, whose highlight came at the par-three 16th where he drained a 30-footer in front of a raucous stadium crowd.

World number four Rickie Fowler, Japan s Hideki Matsuyama and Ireland s Shane Lowry shared the lead after Friday s completion of the darkness-halted first round of the US PGA Phoenix Open.

Starting on the 10th tee at TPC Scottsdale, Lee had five birdies in his first eight holes, a stretch that had him at the top of the leaderboard. “It’s good for golf, good for the game, good for the fans that come out here”. “Just kind of got everything going”. “I got to seven-under and became a little tentative”. He has four worldwide victories in the last nine months.

“I didn’t see any reason to change it”, he said. Since then, he hasn’t finished higher than tied for 13th, missing the cut in 2013 and 2014 before tying for 46th a year ago. Defending champion McIlroy shot a 72 to finish at 4-under 140 after two rounds. Because of that, he was able to play the first 12 in 1-under-par, when he easily could have been a couple over par.

Lexi Thompson was among five players one shot behind.

The top-ranked player in the field at No. 4, Fowler bogeyed the par-3 16th after drawing an awkward lie in the right bunker.

While Fowler overcame some bad shots, Phil Mickelson compounded his mistakes to fall back.

Fowler rebounded from a three-putt bogey on the par-4 17th with the birdie on the par-4 18th.

Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello shot his second consecutive 67 to grab a one-stroke lead heading into the weekend.

“I hit some really good putts, ones that you make and it continues to build the momentum and continued with the rhythm through the round”, he said.