Jim Furyk stays on course for first world championship victory

Jim Furyk remained on course for his first world championship victory with nine holes to play in the rain-delayed Bridgestone Invitational in Akron today.

Nearly three hours were lost to a violent thunderstorm, but the delay certainly did not affect the 42-year-old American.

He birdied the first three holes, pitching to five feet on the first, two-putting from the fringe of the long second and holing from 10 feet at the next.

South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen matched the first two of those, sinking a 30-foot putt on the first before missing an 11-foot eagle chance, but was three behind when he three-putted the short fifth.

Furyk drove into rough on the sixth, however, and with a bogey of his own slipped back to 13 under par.

The gap went back to three when Oosthuizen could not recover from finding the rough himself at the ninth.

Furyk's compatriot Keegan Bradley was a further stroke back in third starting for home, with Steve Stricker eight under, Rory McIlroy seven under and Justin Rose six under.

Tiger Woods went to the turn in a four under 31, but was joint ninth with two holes to play.

PA