BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Shanshan Feng opened a two-shot lead Friday after two rounds of a U.S. Women’s Open that got its first visit from a sitting president.
Fresh from a Bastille Day celebration in Paris, President Donald Trump pulled into his Trump National Golf Club around 3:40 p.m., visited his president’s box next to the 14th green less than two hours later and played to the crowd, waving at the fans, giving them the thumbs up and pumping his fist.
That’s what a president can do for crowds not used to being within 100 yards of one. Many critics of the president had hoped he would stay away from the $5 million tournament because of his comments about women and the fear that he would steal the spotlight.
Only three sitting presidents have attended USGA events with Warren G. Harding (1921) and Bill Clinton (1997) going to the U.S. Open.
Feng was the star on the course for the second straight day. The 27-year-old Chinese player shot a 2-under 70 and had a 36-hole total of 8-under 136 on the 6,732-yard course that played even longer because of rain over the past two days.
Amy Yang remained in second after a 71, tied with two other South Koreans – Jeongeun Lee and amateur Hye Jin Choi.
PGA: Patrick Rodgers shot a 7-under 64 to take a two-shot lead after the second round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.
Rodgers had eight birdies and a bogey to move to 13-under 129. Finishing on the front nine, he had five birdies in a seven-hole stretch before closing with a bogey on the par-4 ninth.
Bryson DeChambeau was second after a 65.
Zach Johnson (67) and Charles Howell III (69) were 10 under.
HOOTIE JOHNSON, the South Carolina banker and Augusta National chairman who stubbornly stood his ground amid pressure for the club to invite female members, died Friday morning. He was 86.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Bernhard Langer made five birdies on the back nine to take a two-shot lead over Corey Pavin before rain suspended play late in the second round of the Constellation Senior Players Championship in Owings Mills, Maryland.
Langer, 59, was 6-under par through 16 holes and 13 under for the tournament. The three-time defending champion made his only bogey of the day on No. 1, a 360-yard par 4.
A fierce early afternoon thunderstorm caused a delay of 2 hours, 24 minutes. A second stoppage occurred at 5:44 p.m., and play was called with 30 players left on the course.
EUROPEAN TOUR: Rory McIlroy’s preparations for next week’s British Open took another hit when he failed to make the cut at the Scottish Open – his third missed cut in his last four events.
McIlroy shot a 1-under 71, and his 1-over total was 10 strokes behind co-leaders Padraig Harrington (68), Callum Shinkwin (68) and Alexander Knappe (65).
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