FacebookPinterestIcon SportswireJimmy Walker smiles as he putts on the 17th hole during the second round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the Firestone Country Club. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

AKRON, Ohio – The week before he defends his title in the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, Jimmy Walker is the surprise halfway leader at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. It’s surprising because Walker is only about halfway back to health as he deals with the sporadic effects of Lyme disease.
“I still have to deal with it, and it's better than it was, but it's still there,” said Walker, who was diagnosed with the tick-borne bacterial illness in April, but has no idea when he contracted it. “It affects different parts of your daily life. I just keep plugging away.”
That he did Friday at the arduous South Course at Firestone Country Club, as he managed his game amid a series of weather delays to fire a five-under-par 65 and take a..

David CannonNORTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 05: Jimmy Walker plays his shot from the fifth tee during the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston on September 5, 2016 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)Just over a year ago Jimmy Walker won the PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club, then finished third two weeks later at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Since then, he's had just one top-10 finish, but has managed seven top-25s this season despite battling Lyme disease. On Friday at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Walker matched his round of the year, a five-under 65 on Firestone Country Club's South Course to grab a two-stroke lead at seven-under 133.
Walker, 38, made birdie on three of his first five holes, and after dropping a shot at the par-3 seventh, bounced back with another birdie at the eighth. He then played his final 10 holes in bogey-free two under. While he hasn't had his best season, Walker has still made 13 of 18 cuts..

FacebookPinterestLachlan CunninghamStephen Curry plays an approach shot to the ninth green during round one of the Ellie Mae Classic at TCP Stonebrae. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

AKRON, Ohio — A 74 isn't worth much in a professional golf event, except when NBA guard Steph Curry shoots it.
Playing on an unrestricted exemption at the Web.com Tour's Ellie Mae Classic, the two-time league MVP acquitted himself well on Thursday with a four-over-par 74 at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward, Calif. Curry's performance exceeded the expectations of most observers and impressed the PGA Tour's top players competing this week in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
“That's a good score. Very impressive,” said former World No. 1 and Masters champion Adam Scott. “There aren't any pro golfers shooting 74 going into an NBA game, that's for sure.”
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GLYN KIRKJordan Spieth will attempt to become the youngest golfer to complete the career Grand Slam at next week's PGA Championship. But first, he'll be trying to beat the other two major winners from this year over the first two days at Quail Hollow.
PODCAST: Our editors preview the 2017 PGA Championship
Tee times for the 2017 PGA Championship are out and there are some great groups to watch, headlined by the pairing of Spieth, the British Open champ, and Masters and U.S. Open winners Sergio Garcia and Brooks Koepka. And fans won't have to wait long to see this star-studded threesome, which will tee off Quail Hollow's 10th hole at 8:25 a.m. (ET) Thursday morning.
Other marquee groups include World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and Henrik Stenson playing in the group behind Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Jon Rahm (1:35 on Thursday), and defending champ Jimmy Walker playing with Ryder Cup teammates and fellow PGA Championship winners Phil Mickelson and Jas..