Rose's turn for a low score in Boston

(CNN) -- For the second straight day at the Deutsche Bank Championship, a player who won a major this season hit a 63.

This time it was U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, not British Open titlist Phil Mickelson.

Rose hit four birdies on the front nine and four on the back nine for the eight-under 63 at TPC Boston to move into contention following his second round.

He was four shots behind clubhouse leader Sergio Garcia.

"It came out of nowhere," Rose was quoted as saying by the Golf Channel. "I felt kind of lethargic, felt like I was plodding around and then all of a sudden I looked at the scoreboard and I was doing okay."

Rose is hoping he can carry the momentum into the final two rounds.

After capturing the U.S. Open in June to deliver on the promise he showed as an amateur, the Englishman missed the cut at Muirfield and hadn't finished in the top 10 prior to The Barclays in New Jersey last week.

Read: First major for Rose

Even though he tied for second, Rose missed a birdie putt that would have given him the title.

Garcia, like Rose, was a player of potential when younger but hasn't yet claimed his maiden major.

The Spaniard, though, has thus far performed well in Boston. He followed up his 65 with a 64 on Saturday, despite carding a double-bogey at the 14th hole.

Garcia decided to play this week and add to his schedule to make sure he's in the field for the third of four FedExCup playoff tournaments, September's BMW Championship in Illinois.

"It was touch and go if I was going to make the BMW without playing here," Garcia told reporters. "We decided to come here and make a little bit of an extra effort of playing five weeks in a row, which I don't usually enjoy very much."

Mickelson, the overnight leader, slipped five shots behind Garcia.

He started well, collecting two birdies without dropping a shot on the front nine. On the back nine, however, Mickelson registered two bogeys and a double bogey. He needed birdies on the final two holes to complete his day at par-71.

Tiger Woods, the world's top-ranked golfer, struck five birdies and a single bogey for a 67 but trails Garcia by six shots.

Via: Rose's turn for a low score in Boston

'Lefty' sets pulses racing in Boston

(CNN) -- Phil Mickelson is making a habit of setting pulses racing with inspired birdie filled charges this year and Friday was no exception on the TPC Boston.

'Lefty' completed his first nine holes in a mere 28 shots to put the world's media on 59 alert again before closing with an eight-under 63 for the early lead at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Two bogeys coming home on the front nine, he started on the 10th tee, scuppered the hopes of headline writers, but he did mix that with a superb eagle on the second, nearly holing his approach for an albatross.

Playing his last hole, the 43-year-old American need a birdie to equal the course record 61 of Mike Weir back in 2008, but instead made a five for an anti climactic ending after finding trouble off the tee.

Nonetheless he had outplayed playing partners Tiger Woods, who is still well placed after a 68 and Masters champion Adam Scott, winner of the Barclays last week, but struggling to an opening 73.

Mickelson, who carded seven birdies in his first nine holes, said he always knew it would be a little tougher on the next nine.

"I still felt I could have shot three or four under (for that nine), but I wasn't too worried about shooting 59," he told the official PGA Tour website.

Read: Late charge secures Mickelson British Open

Englishman Brian Davis later matched Mickelson's eight-under effort to leave them one clear of in-form Kevin Stadler in the second tournament of the money spinning FedEx Cup.

Earlier this season, Mickelson narrowly missed a birdie putt on the last green as he opened with a 60 at the Phoenix Open, going on to win the tournament by four shots.

And in testing final round conditions at Muirfield, Mickelson conjured up four birdies in the last six holes to claim the British Open title for the first time.

It was the fifth major of his career and he admitted afterwards probably the most satisfying, particularly after having to settle for his sixth runner-up spot at the preceding U.S. Open won by Justin Rose.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland admitted to "silly mistakes" after opening with a one-under 70, looking to kick start a disappointing season after his heroics of 2012.

Meanwhile, lowly ranked Welshman Liam Bond was the surprise leader of the Wales Open at halfway Friday.

Ranked 1,528th in the world, 43-year-old only received a late invite to the $1.8 million event and has carded rounds of 69 and 68 to move to five-under.

First round leader Espen Kofstad of Norway and South African Tjaart van der Walt were next on four under with European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley also in the hunt after a 69 for three-under.

Via: 'Lefty' sets pulses racing in Boston

Tseng: Bouncing back to No. 1?

(CNN) -- In 2011, Yani Tseng surprised the world with a feat that neither Tiger Woods nor Jack Nickalus could accomplish. On August 1, aged 22, the Taiwanese became the youngest golfer to win five major championships.

Nini, as her friends call her, has two Women's British Open, two LPGA Championship and one Kraft Nabisco Championship trophies in a special case set at her Lake Nona home, which she bought from her long-time idol Annika Sorenstam.

In her first five seasons as an LPGA member she earned 15 titles, 10 of them between 2011 and 2012.

Her accomplishments took her to the top of the Rolex Rankings and she stayed there until March 2013, when American Stacy Lewis ousted her.

Read: Snedeker battling bone disease

But those achievements must feel some way away with Tseng going through her least successful season since 2009.

After leading women's golf for two years, Tseng sits 14th in the rankings. She has not won a single tournament since March 2012 and, for the first time since she joined the LPGA, she missed five cuts consecutively.

"I think when you played that well and you get to a certain level where you are above everybody else you feel you are flying so high," Gary Gilchrist, Tseng's swing coach since 2010, told CNN

"Being No. 1 at a young age is very tough and you still have a lot to learn about yourself; suddenly you win two tournaments and bang you are No. 1 in the world."

Europe crushes U.S. to retain Solheim Cup

Tseng is one of the most committed players on the LPGA Tour. She knew that playing her best was not enough and so she perfected her English to have a better relationship with sponsors, media and fans.

Her life seemed like a dream-come-true, but the truth, according to Gilchrist, is that she felt a little bit out of her comfort zone.

"As she kept on winning it was fine, then she started to struggle a little bit with her game because she felt like 'hey, being No. 1 is not all that is made out to be'.

"It is like you don't live your own life, you live the life according to being No. 1 in the world."

At last March's LPGA Founders Cup, Lewis was closer than ever to become the best golfer on the planet.

"It will be a good release for me," admitted Tseng when asked about the possibility of being usurped in the rankings.

Five months after her revelation, Tseng is outside the Rolex Rankings top 10.

From January to August 2013, she has earned $273,743. Two years ago, in that same period, she grabbed $1.7 million.

Getting back to where she used to be will be a tough task. Especially since Inbee Park has taken the game to a whole new level, having won the first three majors of the season, something only Babe Zaharias had previously accomplished back in 1950.

"All she has to do is recommit and motivate herself to get to that level, she needs to go back to the things that made her be No. 1," said Gilchrist.

That includes working in her personality. Gilchrist describes her as an "outgoing, fun and true to herself" kind of person, but she is an aggressive player.

So, is this a mental or a technical issue?

"She's always had an unorthodox golf swing but she has won 22 times," answered Gilchrist. That means she has more titles than many golfers ever get in a lifetime, and she just needs to grab the U.S. Women's Open to complete the career grand slam.

"She is not scared of competing with anybody and finds new ways to challenge herself," Gilchrist said of his 24-year-old charge.

The $64 million question is: can she come back?

In 2011, Tiger Woods sat 52nd in the men's rankings, today he once again leads men's golf.

"You don't want to put too much pressure on her, you want to give her time to grow and learn," continued Gilchrist.

"This may be a difficult time for her but I think this is going to cause great growth in her.

"She has to go out there and be Yani. The more she can be Yani the better she is going to be. She plays with her heart, she has great determination."

Via: Tseng: Bouncing back to No. 1?

An Asian rival to the Ryder Cup?

(CNN) -- Asia's emergence as a golfing power has received a boost with the announcement the continent's top golfers will face off against their European counterparts in a competition similar to the Ryder Cup.

The EurAsia Cup will be held every two years, with the inaugural event taking place at Malaysia's Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in March 2014

Two 10-man teams go head-to-head. Europe's team will be comprised of the tour four players from the European Tour's Race to Dubai standings, the leading four available players from the world rankings and two captain's picks.

The four top players from the Asian Tour's Order of Merit, the four available leading Asian players from the world rankings and two captain's picks will make up the Asian team.

Read: Wounded Tiger falls short

Team captains will be announced at a later date.

"We are all excited by the prospect of this matchplay event between Europe and Asia," European Tour COO Keith Waters said in a statement.

"It will be a fantastic event showcasing world-class golf at the highest standard as matchplay competitions always bring out great excitement and drama for golf fans and television viewers," declared Asian Tour chairman Kyi Hla Han.

The European Tour's statement went on to say the competition "will be beamed live to more than 45 countries and 670 million homes."

Read: Will Tiger win another major?

The Ryder Cup is a biennial match played between Europe and the United States.

The intercontinental rivalry is one of the oldest in sport. The competition dates back to 1927 and was most recently held at the Medinah Country Club in Illinois, with Europe retaining the trophy.

Via: An Asian rival to the Ryder Cup?

Wounded Tiger falls short in brave bid

(CNN) -- He didn't win, but Tiger Woods showed why he is still the No. 1 drawcard in golf with a brave bid for victory at The Barclays tournament Sunday.

He had been tied for the lead after three birdies on his opening nine holes, but a recurrence of his back injury seemed to have scuppered his chances of a sixth PGA Tour title this season.

The American crumpled to his knees in pain after sending an approach shot into the murky water hazard at 13, and he registered a bogey before dropping another shot at 15.

However, he birdied the next two holes to give himself a chance of a playoff against clubhouse leader Adam Scott, but his 27-foot putt from the fringe stopped an inch short of the hole.

A grim-faced Woods received a standing ovation from the gallery crowd at Liberty National in Jersey City, before explaining how his back had gone into "spasm" even before the 13th. The problem started before the tournament, caused by a "too soft" mattress at the hotel where he was staying.

Read: Tiger chasing leading duo at The Barclays

"I had a chance. I hit a good putt. I thought I made it. It was a little double-breaker and I thought I had it," said the 37-year-old, who remained top of the FedEx Cup playoff standings after finishing tied for second with U.S. Open winner Justin Rose, Canada's Graham DeLaet and American Gary Woodland.

Rose could also have made a playoff, but surprisingly three-putted at the last for bogey and a final round of three-under 68.

Woodland also had a chance, but the joint third-round leader could only par as he closed with a disappointing 73.

DeLaet surged up the leaderboard with a seven-birdie 65, but it was not enough to beat Scott as the Masters champion prevailed on 11-under after a flawless 66 to claim the $1.44 million first prize.

Scott, whose caddy Steve Williams helped Woods to many of his successes, said his turning point had been three late birdies on Saturday.

Read: Will Tiger win another major?

"I'd been playing like a dog," he said. "I don't know if it's been my best golf since the Masters, but I played consistently well to win here."

Scott, who also had top-five finishes at the British Open and PGA Championship, moved up to second in the FedEx Cup standings ahead of the next event in Boston -- the Deutsche Bank Championship this coming week, which features the top 100 players.

British Open champion Phil Mickelson finished two shots off the Australian on 275 following his 65, which left him tied for sixth with fellow Americans D.A. Points and Jim Furyk.

The veteran left-hander moved up to third in the playoff standings.

Matt Kuchar, who won the tournament in 2010, dropped back from sharing the third-round lead to a tie for 19th. His birdie at the last was mere consolation after a triple-bogey seven at the ninth and five other dropped holes.

The 35-year-old slumped to fifth in the standings, from second.

Via: Wounded Tiger falls short in brave bid