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DUBLIN, Ohio — Paul Casey expected to be chasing someone Friday in the Memorial, figuring it would be Rory McIlroy. Calgary Flames Gear . After two holes, Casey had the lead to himself at Muirfield Village, and that was only the start of another big day. He took advantage of the par 5s for another 6-under 66, giving him a three-shot lead over Masters champion Bubba Watson going into the weekend. McIlroy, whose 63 was the lowest first round in the 39-year history of the tournament, was barely in the picture. He was 15 shots worse with a 78, courtesy of three straight double bogeys and his fourth straight PGA Tour event with a nine-hole score of 40 or higher. McIlroy went from a three-shot lead to nine shots behind. „To be honest, I thought I was going to be playing a round to try and maybe catch a couple of guys,“ Casey said. „I woke up checking the scores to see what Rory was going to be. Thats really what I was going to be doing — see how many under I was going to have to try to shoot to chase. Obviously, that didnt happen.“ Casey, taking another step on a long road back from injuries that nearly derailed his career, was at 12-under 132. He made his first birdie with his best drive of the day on the par-5 11th, setting up a 4-iron onto the green for a two-putt birdie. He made eagle on the par-5 15th hole for the second straight day, and he stuffed it close around the turn for birdies to start pulling away from the field. Watson gave him a good run in an active round that featured six birdies, five bogeys and an eagle. He only was angry at a few shots where he failed to concentrate. Even so, a bogey-bogey finish wasnt enough to entirely ruin his day. Watson has never finished better than 23rd in eight previous appearances. „I cant look at the bogeys,“ Watson said. „Ive got to look at where Im at. If you told me its my best two days around this golf course, Id take it.“ Chris Kirk (70) was four shots behind. Hideki Matsuyama (67) and Martin Flores (68) were five back. Adam Scott, who won Colonial in his debut at No. 1 in the world, shot 70 and was at 5-under 139, still in the mix depending on how Casey fares on the weekend. Phil Mickelson was happy to get in two more rounds. He shot a 70, though he was 10 shots back. Canadian Mike Weir failed to make the cut after an even par 72 on Friday to finish 1-over through two days. Casey, once a Ryder Cup regular who reached as high as No. 3 in the world, is slowly getting his game and his life back in the right place. He endured injuries to his shoulder and his toe that kept him winless for more than two years. He went through a divorce. He wondered if he would ever return to the brand of golf he was capable of playing. Weeks like this offer promise. Casey won the Irish Open a year ago with what he called „spectacular“ golf. The game is still there. „Its slowly crawling along and making progress, climbing back up the ladder, however you want to phrase it,“ Casey said. „Its very difficult when youve played to a certain level and then … I genuinely had no clue how to play to that level. „Luckily, I didnt think about that too long.“ His life is back in order. Casey is married to British television presenter Pollyanna Woodward. They are expecting their first child (a boy) in September. He talks about having perspective, knowing where golf fits on his list of whats important. His golf has looked familiar over the last two days. McIlroy could say the same. Except for last week at the BMW PGA Championship in England, which he won with birdies on the last two holes, McIlroys good golf has been stalled by bad patches, and Friday was no exception. In fact, it nearly has become the rule. He shot a 43 on the back nine — he started the round at No. 10 — making this the fourth consecutive PGA Tour event where he shot at least 40 over nine holes. All of them have been in the second round. McIlroy twice hit the trees on the 13th hole and made double bogey. He hit into the water on the 14th for double bogey. And then he double-hit a wedge on the 15th to make it three straight double bogeys. „These little runs Im getting on where it gets away from me, I was able to avoid that last week,“ McIlroy said. „Not so much this week. Even though I had such a bad day, Im still in with a chance depending on what the guys do this afternoon. So going into the weekend, not exactly where I want to be. But it could be worse.“ Casey simple made it a lot harder.Wholesale Flames Jerseys . There was little fanfare, though, when the Yankees captain was taken out of his final regular-season Subway Series game in the eighth inning. Jeter watched the last four outs from the bench, pulled off the field during a double switch Thursday night as the Yankees held off the Mets 1-0. Flames Jerseys China . — Canadian freestyle skier Roz Groenewoud isnt letting surgery to both of her knees deter her expectations for the Sochi Olympics. SAN FRANCISCO — Colin Kaepernick let his guard down just enough to razz Michael Crabtree about not scoring on a flashy 60-yard catch and run in his season debut. At last, Kaepernick has his receiving corps intact, just in time for the stretch run. Crabtrees return opened up the field all the more for Anquan Boldin — not to mention Vernon Davis and his high-hurdle show — in the San Francisco 49ers 23-13 victory against St. Louis on Sunday. Boldin caught nine passes from Kaepernick, Crabtree made his long-awaited debut six months after Achilles tendon surgery, and the 49ers pressured the Rams defence from every angle. Next up: NFC West nemesis Seattle in a week at Candlestick Park. „Were very eager,“ safety Donte Whitner said. „They embarrassed us last time.“ Kaepernick went 19 of 28 for 275 yards and Frank Gore ran for a 3-yard touchdown as the reigning NFC champion Niners (8-4) boosted their position in the playoff picture. Crabtree had that 60-yard catch, while Davis hurdled into the end zone on a 17-yard touchdown reception. „I wish I would have scored,“ Crabtree said. „I was supposed to take that to the house.“ With Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in the house, Boldin had six receptions in the first half on the way to his second-most productive game of the year behind his 13-catch performance in the season opener against Green Bay. He, too, teased Crabtree about not getting into the end zone. „We give him a pass on that one; Thanksgiving was this week,“ Boldin quipped. Crabtree, San Franciscos leading wide receiver during last seasons Super Bowl run, had two catches. Just having him on the field kept the St. Louis defence from focusing all its attention on Boldin and Davis. Davis displayed his athleticism with a new signature move, and did so not once but twice: a high hurdle over defenders. He led with his right foot while leaping over safety Rodney McLeod in the first half, then again to reach the end zone on his team-leading 10th touchdown catch. Davis also was tackled by T.J. McDonald with a prolonged, painful grab to his crotch. That was a first in his career. „I was hurting,“ Davis said. Phil Dawson kicked three field goals, and San Franciscos swarming defence made things tough on Kellen Clemens all day. The Rams managed only 73 total yards in the firrst half. Custom Calgary Flames Jerseys. Clemens went 19 of 37 for 218 yards with a late TD pass in a dismal afternoon for the Rams (5-7), who were trying for their first three-game winning streak of the season. „There were some plays out there that we had opportunities to make which would have gotten us into a little bit of a better rhythm offensively,“ Clemens said. „We didnt make them.“ A year after the teams left Candlestick with a 24-24 tie, the 49ers methodically took care that it didnt happen again. They made it consecutive commanding victories in a short week following a 27-6 win at Washington on Monday night that snapped a two-game skid. „All the pressure, all the high stakes this time of the year, I thought our guys answered the bell on that,“ coach Jim Harbaugh said. While Kaepernick was sacked four times, Robert Quinn and the opportunistic Rams defence failed to make the game-changing plays it had the past two weeks — even when 49ers left tackle Joe Staley was lost to a right knee injury early in the game. The St. Louis defensive line had scored touchdowns in each of the past two games. The Rams thwarted drives with costly penalties, settling for a 43-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein just before halftime in their best drive of the half. Zuerlein kicked a 34-yarder in the third quarter. After a debated 15-yard personal foul penalty on Jo-Lonn Dunbar when he ran into a sliding Kaepernick, the quarterback completed a 23-yard pass to Davis. Dawson kicked a 32-yard field goal. He added a 43-yarder early in the second period, then a 24-yard field goal in the third. The Rams managed 11 total yards in the first quarter and 73 in the first half. The 49ers held the Rams in check before the second-team defence surrendered Brian Quicks 3-yard touchdown catch with 18 seconds remaining. Crabtree had a pair of penalties in San Franciscos opening series, an illegal block to the back and an offensive pass interference. „I had to get those jitters out,“ he said. NOTES: 49ers TE Vance McDonald injured an ankle in the first quarter. … St. Louis lost left tackle Jake Long late in the third quarter to a concussion after he collided into running back Zac Stacy, who played after dealing with concussion-like symptoms following a win against the Bears. Rams C Scott Wells also suffered an ankle injury. ‚ ‚ ‚