Bryce Molder of the US fired a career-best eight-under 62 to take the lead after the second round of the PGA Colonial on Friday.
Molder got to 13-under with his round to take a one-shot lead over first-round co-leader Jason Bohn. He is two shots ahead of Kris Blanks and England’s Brian Davis.
Molder had a chance to match the course record of 61, but missed a birdie putt at the final hole.
The 31-year-old journeyman has split his time between the USPGA and Nationwide tours since his professional debut eight years ago.
Fellow American Phil Mickelson could have overtaken Tiger Woods for the No. 1 spot in the world ranking with a win at the Colonial, but he missed the cut at four-over.
Mickelson’s return to the Colonial began with birdies on the first two holes on Thursday, but he had only three more birdies, while shooting six-over for his last 34 holes and missing his first cut in 11 tournaments this year.
Molder has hit 32 of 36 greens in regulation this week and 22 of 28 fairways. He has one bogey, that coming on Friday when he three-putted from at the difficult par-three fourth hole.
■MADRID MASTERS
Reuters, MADRID
Luke Donald headed the Madrid Masters field after the second round on Friday, but there was more despair for the Briton’s great friend Sergio Garcia.
Donald continued to atone for his late collapse in last week’s PGA Championship with a second round 67, to lead fellow Briton Rhys Davies (68) by a stroke at the halfway stage on 12-under.
Donald’s playing partner Garcia, however, missed the cut by two strokes when a 73 left him stranded on one-over.
The Spaniard had felt he was turning the corner with his game after 15 months in the golfing wilderness, but another failure caused his shoulders to slump as he disappointed his home fans.
“It’s hard when you know your potential and you just can’t achieve it,” the former world No. 2 said. “At the moment, I can’t see the future. The way things are, I can’t see how long it will take to come out of this.”
Donald was disappointed to have let slip a six-shot lead, partly through bogeys on his 16th and 17th holes, but happy to be in contention after losing last week’s PGA Championship with a double-bogey on the 71st hole at Wentworth.
Davies celebrated his 25th birthday by moving alongside Donald after 15 holes, but a bogey on the short 17th dropped him back. Fellow Welshman Jamie Donaldson (70) lay third on nine-under, with Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell (68) a further stroke adrift.
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