Relieved of the burden of chasing a maiden US win, a relaxed Justin Rose opened a four-shot leadat the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
The Englishman, who earned his maiden US PGA Tour victory at the Memorial earlier this month, set about doubling his tally at TPC River Highlands near Hartford with a bogey-free, eight under par 62 just one stroke off the course record.
Following on from an opening 64 that had put him in a four-way share of the lead, Rose's lowest round of the year allowed him to reach halfway in the tournament at 14 under par, four strokes ahead of American Kevin Sutherland, who shot a second consecutive 65.
"I think I'm just on a nice streak," Rose said. "I'm not getting in my way. I'm letting it happen.
"It's nice to not field the question, 'Can this be your first win?' I must say. That helps.
"Having done that, that's one question that it's just something less that I have to think about.
"Winning a tournament in its own right is difficult. So when you have the added expectation of it trying to be your first, that can be harder sometimes."
For the second day in a row Rose, 29, holed five consecutive birdies on the back nine, starting his second round from the tenth tee, and had all facets of his game under control as he missed just one fairway and two greens in regulation and needed just 26 putts.
Rose is five strokes clear of Vijay Singh, Bill Lunde, Charlie Wi and US Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin.
American Lunde hit two eagles, four birdies and a bogey for his 63, while Singh continued his return to form after an injury-plagued start to 2010 with a five-birdie, one-bogey second round 66 to also reach nine under.
South Korea's Wi, one of Rose's co-leaders alongside Padraig Harrington of Ireland and Australian Mathew Goggin, shot a 67 while Pavin posted a bogey-free 66.
Harrington could not repeat his opening 64 and carded three birdies and four bogeys en route to a 71, while Goggin posted a 72 to fall to four under.
