Harrington keeps Firestone lead

Without a victory since the PGA Championship, Padraig Harrington shot a one-under-par 69 Friday at Akron, Ohio, that gave him a one-shot lead over Tim Clark (68) going into the weekend at the Bridgestone Invitational.

Harrington didn’t put much stock into his opening round of 64 at Firestone, and he wasn’t ready to declare himself the favorite to win his first World Golf Championship. Even so, he conceded that consecutive good rounds were helpful.

“I’m obviously pleased,” said Harrington, who was at seven-under 133. “I shot a good score yesterday -- put me up there -- and it’s nice to shoot a reasonable score to back it up. Break 70 on the weekend a few more times and I should be doing OK.”

Scott Verplank went 35 holes without a bogey until hitting into the trees on the 18th hole and dropping a shot for a 69, leaving him alone in third at 135.

Tiger Woods, a six-time winner at Firestone, was among 20 players within five shots of the lead, although he found himself in a peculiar spot after an even-par 70.

Woods was tied for 13th at two-under 138, the first time after any round at Firestone he has been out of the top 10.

Reno-Tahoe Open

John Rollins matched the course record with a 10-under 62 to take a two-stroke lead in the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, and Chris Riley tied the PGA Tour mark for relation to par for nine holes with nine-under 27.

Rollins, who had a birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie run, had a 12-under 132 total -- leaving him two strokes ahead of Shaun Micheel, who followed an opening 69 with a bogey-free 65 at Montreux Golf and Country Club.

Riley went on his own birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie streak to reach seven under through seven holes. He finished with a 64, leaving him tied for third at eight under.

Women’s Amateur

USC sophomore Jennifer Song faces Tiffany Lua of Rowland Heights, an incoming UCLA freshman, in one of today’s semifinal matches at St. Louis. After winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links in June, Song is vying to become the second woman ever to capture two USGA titles in the same year. Alexis Thompson faces Jennifer Johnson in the other semifinal.