Scotland’s Martin Laird held the outright lead at nine under par after 13 holes of his second round in The Players Championship at Sawgrass in Florida.
The Scot, whose opening 65 matched that of England’s Ian Poulter, birdied the long second and 471 yard fifth, but bogeyed the fourth.
Poulter, among the later starters, was in second alongside Jonathan Byrd, Zach Johnson and Australian Adam Scott.
Brian Davis stood five under and joint ninth, while Padraig Harrington - yet to resume - was three under.
Two of the players battling it out to be World Number One were in good shape; Lee Westwood and Luke Donald stood four under after 13.
The latter, beginning on the tenth, looked imperious as he eagled the 16th and second, though his joy was somewhat tempered by a bogey on the next.
Yet Rory McIlroy, currently at the summit of the World Rankings, was in danger of missing the cut at two over after 12.
Robert Karlsson, through 10, was one under alongside the Masters tournament runner-up Louis Oosthuizen, who was yet to begin his second round, and Alvaro Quiros was two under after nine.
