Fleetwood & Bradley share Bay Hill ahead
Tommy Fleetwood's round of 66 included two eagles Arnold Palmer Invitational, second-round leaderboard-9 T Fleetwood (Eng), K Bradley (USA); -5 B Horschel (USA), J Vegas (Ven), F Molinari (It), K Mitchell (USA), K Kisner (USA), R Sloan (Can); Selected: -4 E Pepperell (Eng), M Wallace (M), M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -3 J Rose, I Poulter (Eng); -2 R McIlroy (NI); -1 G McDowell (NI); +1 T Hatton (Eng); +2 P Mickelson (US) Full standings
Tommy Fleetwood and Keegan Bradley from England share a lead of four strokes on the Arnold Palmer Invitational after both have moved to nine below par on Bay Hill.
Fleetwood's six-under-par 66 included two eagles as he led for much of the round two before being conjugated by Bradley.
Open champion Francesco Molinari is in a six-strong group that shares third spot.
English trio Eddie Pepperell, Matt Wallace and Matthew Fitzpatrick are four behind with defending champion Rory McIlroy two further back after a 70.
McIlroy's map of Northern Ireland was a eagle on the sixth, his fifteenth hole and four birdies but his progress was hindered by four bogeys.
Fleetwood, European number one in 2017, shot a shot on the short second, but birdies on the fourth and fifth were followed by an eagle three in sixth while he also picked up a shot at the eighth to go to the turn to go 32.
The momentum of the 28-year-old Southport man was stopped by a bogey on the 10th, but he regrouped with his second eagle three of the day on the 12th before he shot again got on the 16th.
Bradley gathers two late birdies to join Fleetwood
[20119003] 2011 USPGA champion Bradley took late birdies on the 15th and 16th to join Fleetwood on nine below while he signed for a 68.
The Italian Molinari finished strong with two late birdies to score a 70, leaving five behind in a group including the Honda Classic winner Keith Mitchell last week, the Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas, the Canadian Roger Sloan and the American duo Kevin Kisner and Billy Horschel
Pepperell is in the big group and shares the ninth place at four bottom after five birdies in seven holes on his back nine – including three finishes – saw him sign for a 68.
His compatriots Wallace and Fitzpatrick are also at the fourth and fourth the 69th and the 71st with the group, including the Spanish Rafa Cabrera Bello, who was 10 times worse than jn day – a total while he crowned a 75 after four bogeys in his last five holes.
The highlight of the round of McIlroy was an eagle three on the sixth – his 15th hole
McIlroy produces inconsistently around
World number two Justin Rose [70] and compatriot Ian Poulter [68] are six outside the pace while Northern Graeme McDowell hopes to win one of the three Open Championship qualifiers that were available at this week's event was hit when he was 75th behind in 43rd place.
McDowell, now 259 on the world rankings, was sharing third after a first round 68 on Bay Hill.
The three leading players in the top 10 on Bay Hill who have not yet qualified for The Open earn places at Royal Portrush.
His follow Northern Irishman McIlroy left a shot on the 11th, after having started on the 10th, and while he birdied 16, another bogey at 18 overtook him to the turn in one.
The world number six birdied three of his next four holes and following a bogey on the fifth, a stunning second shot to eight feet at the next lineup of his eagle.
However, the 29-year-old returned to the eighth after a failed tee-shot, with his 25-foot par-putt leaking.
Phil Mickelson missed the cut with a shot after driving misery saw him card a 78 to finish on two over.
