Watson fires eagle-aided 62; Juvic slides to 21st; Tiger limps

DORAL, Florida – Bubba Watson and Justin Rose put on an amazing show of birdies in blustery conditions, making 17 between them while playing in the same group Friday at the Cadillac Championship.

Their playful duel was decided by Watson’s eagle, giving him a 10-under 62 and a one-shot lead.

Watson belted a 3-iron that barely got over a palm tree, carried over the water into the wind and settled 6 feet away on the par-5 eighth for an eagle putt that gave him a one-shot lead over Rose.

Mark Wilson, the third in that group, shot a respectable 70 and was just along for the ride.

“They did everything right,” Wilson said. “It was some of the best golf I’ve seen collectively between them.”

Watson was at 12-under 132 and will get to play again in the final group Saturday with Rose, who had to settle for a 64.

“Maybe they’ve been cutting the hole a little bigger,” Rose said.

Filipino Juvic Pagunsan slowed down with a 71 after an impressive 69, tumbling from joint fifth to a share of 21st at 140, eight shots behind Watson.

Pagunsan, who gunned down four birdies against a bogey in his debut in a tournament of this magnitude Thursday, bogeyed two par-3s and the tough No. 18 where he had to sink an eight-footer for bogey.

He, however, birdied four holes, including No. 10, and finished the challenging day with a steady 28-putt performance.

The reigning Asian Tour No. 1 hopes to recover lost ground in the third round Saturday, hopefully sans the pressure with Fil-Am Jason Day as his playing partner.

Day fired a 67 to catch up with Pagunsan and Miguel Angel Jimenez, who also carded a 71, at 21st.

Despite the steady wind, there were plenty of low scores on the Blue Monster. The average score was 69.9, close to three strokes easier than the opening round. There were 12 scores in the 60s on Thursday, and 31 of them Friday.

Tiger Woods played bogey-free for a 67 and actually lost ground. He moved up the leaderboard, but is seven shots behind going into the weekend.

– With AP reports