VIJAY Singh took a one-shot overnight lead into the third round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational intent on playing "my heart out".
Singh, whose second-round 66 last night sent him to the top of the leaderboard at seven under par, is in the final pairing of the day alongside world number two Phil Mickelson, lying one stroke back at six under.
The Fijian insisted he will not
be worrying about anything his rival is doing as they negotiate the Firestone Country Club's par-70, 7,400-yard South Course.
"I'm going to go out there and play my heart out and try to shoot as low as I can and not really be concerned about what Phil does," Singh said last night.
"He's going to be focused on his game. I just hope we both have a good day."
A trio of European players will also be looking to make their move at the top of the leaderboard on Saturday with England's Lee Westwood best placed at five under following a second-round 65, while Miguel Angel Jiminez of Spain is a shot further back and Ireland's Paul McGinley is four shots off the lead at three under par.
With no halfway cut in this 80-man elite field, the stragglers were out early with Germany's Martin Kaymer looking to regain some respectability following a second-round 79. Playing in the first group out, Kaymer birdied the par-four fourth and the par-three seventh to improve to nine over par.
• American Fred Funk played through neck soreness to grind out a 1-under-par 69 and open up a two-stroke lead in the second round of the US Senior Open in Colorado Springs on Friday.
Funk, who held a one-shot lead after a first round 65 and started on the back nine on Friday, began feeling pain on his first hole but kickstarted his round with an eagle at the par 5 18th.
Argentina's Eduardo Romero is in second place at four under par after matching Funk's second-round score of 69. John Cook, Tom Kite and Mark McNulty are four off the pace at two under.
"On the range I felt the best I have in a year and a half, two years," Funk told reporters. "All of a sudden my neck started locking up on this left side and I really couldn't hit through the ball."
Funk received some therapy and the pain subsided. The Broadmoor Resort course firmed up for the second round and scores soared, particularly for those playing in the afternoon.
Greg Norman shot a two-over-par and was not pleased with the course setup.
"I'm not going to comment on the golf course," he said. "The USGA should know better."
The day featured just four under-par rounds. Ian Woosnam set the day's pace with a two-under 68, while D A Weibring managed one-under par for a share of sixth place at even par. Romero was surprised to shot under par.
"Well, 69 is a perfect round," Romero said. "I didn't expect to get one under today. It's two more rounds to go. I'll be there."
The full article contains 544 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
