Lynn, who chipped in at the last to share the halfway lead, said that he had been confident after recovering from a rib injury that hampered him early in the season.
“I played well yesterday and was so frustrated when I made a seven on the ninth — my finishing hole,” he said. “I wasn’t happy at all but I knew that I was playing well. It was tough today when we started because the wind was around, but that died off on the last few holes and I got my score going.”
The task now for Larrazabal and Lynn will be to hold off a tough chasing pack that includes the in-form Westwood, a close third in the US Open, and a revived Montgomerie. Westwood’s rich vein of form, which has seen him rise to 17th in the world rankings, means that he could be back at the top of the European PGA Tour Order of Merit on Sunday night.
■ BUICK OPEN
AFP, FLINT, MICHIGAN
Bo Van Pelt, who is seeking his first win on the USPGA Tour, shot six-under 66 to reach a 14-under total and take a two-shot lead after the second round of the Buick Open.
The American started on the back nine and birdied five of his first 10 holes before making a birdie on number seven during his bogey-free round.
The 33-year-old Van Pelt started the day tied for the lead with Corey Pavin and Dudley Hart, who shot a four-under 68 and is tied for second with Sweden’s Daniel Chopra at 12-under for the tournament.
Chopra carded a five-under 67, while Pavin stumbled to a two-over 74 and fell eight shots off the pace at six-under overall.
Hart started strong, making birdies on numbers one and two before playing even-par golf for the next 13 holes. The 39-year-old then birdied Nos. 16 and 18, completing his second straight bogey-free round.
Woody Austin, who birdied four straight holes and eagled another to move within striking distance of taking the lead after his front nine, bogeyed his final hole — No. 9 on the course — to fall into a tie for fourth with Matt Jones at 11-under for the tournament.
Jones had the best round of the day, making five birdies and two eagles to surge into contention with a nine-under 63.
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