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 Ishikawa, seeking his first victory on the PGA Tour after twice
finishing second, fired a three-under-par 68 on another hot, sunny
day at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville to head a
tightly-bunched leaderboard.
The 23-year-old Japanese, co-leader overnight with South African
veteran Retief Goosen, mixed seven birdies with four bogeys to post
an 11-under total of 131, one ahead of Americans Rickie Fowler (65)
and Kevin Chappell (68).
Swede David Lingmerth (65) was alone at nine under while tournament
host Woods was a further stroke back with eight other players after
carding a 66 on a receptive, rain-softened layout.
"It wasn't a perfect round through 15 holes but the last three holes
it was perfect, especially the 16th tee shot," grinned Ishikawa, who
ended up just two inches from an ace with a nine-iron off the 16th
tee.
"18 birdie putt, it was kind of like a surprise ... but that was a
nice finish, yeah. My goal this weekend is like 15-under, 16 under,"
he said of his target for the 72 regulation holes.
Woods, who has mainly struggled on the PGA Tour this season while
working through his latest swing change as he recovers from back
surgery, piled up six birdies and a bogey to rocket up the
leaderboard.
"I hit the ball really well today, but I missed a few putts," Woods
said after posting his lowest opening 36-hole total on the U.S.
circuit since the 2013 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. "This could
have been a really low one."
Now ranked a lowly 266th in the world, Woods said he was given extra
motivation on Friday after a popped up tee shot at the 14th, his
fifth hole of the day, led to his only bogey of the round.
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"It got me a little fired up," smiled Woods, who finished level with
eight others, including fellow Americans Pat Perez (67), Charles
Howell III (67) and Jimmy Walker (63), Englishman Greg Owen (68) and
South Korean Kim Meen-whee (66).
"Got me a little more focused on what I'm doing out there instead of
just hitting a shot."
World number eight Fowler, who won the prestigious Players
Championship in May followed by the European Tour's Scottish Open
earlier this month, soared into a tie for second with a rousing
birdie-birdie-birdie finish.
"It was nice to finish the way I did," the 26-year-old told Golf
Channel. "I really didn't do a whole lot special, just birdying the
last three made the round a special one today."
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank
Pingue/Greg Stutchbury)
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