Golf:Scotland's Martin Laird shot the joint-best round of the day to soar into contention at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.
The Glasgow-born professional, whose best finish of the year was a second place at The Barclays in New Jersey in August, fired a nine-under-par 62 for an 11-under aggregate at the halfway stage, two shots behind American leader Jonathan Byrd (63).
Successive birdies between the 15th and 17th helped take Byrd, from South Carolina, to the top of the leaderboard, while Japan's Ryuji Imada is second after he equalled Laird's 62. Byrd, who has been on the PGA Tour since 2000, has not won a tour title since 2007.
Laird is among a quartet of players at 11 under which also includes Australian John Senden and Americans George McNeill and Nicholas Thompson.
Las Vegas resident Rickie Fowler is still in contention a shot further back after a seven-under 64.
"We're kind of right where we want to be," Fowler said. "We're in good position going into the weekend. It would have been nice to play the par-fives a little bit better today, but all in all a good run."
Collated second round scores and totals in the US PGA Tour Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, The TPC at Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
(USA unless stated, par 71):
129Jonathan Byrd 66 63
130Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 68 62
131George McNeill 65 66, John Senden (Aus) 64 67, Martin Laird (Sco) 69 62, Nicholas Thompson 65 66, Alex Prugh 67 64
132Spencer Levin 69 63, Nick Watney 66 66, Michael Letzig 64 68, Graham Delaet (Can) 69 63, Webb Simpson 66 66, Chad Campbell 68 64, Rickie Fowler 68 64, Cameron Tringale 64 68
133Scott McCarron 68 65, Vaughn Taylor 65 68, Ryan Palmer 65 68, James Nitties (Aus) 68 65
134Martin Flores 65 69, Davis Love III 66 68, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 70 64, Kevin Sutherland 69 65, David Duval 70 64, Greg Kraft 68 66, Michael Connell 69 65, Cameron Percy (Aus) 66 68, Charles Howell III 66 68, Mark Wilson 67 67, Will MacKenzie 64 70, Kevin Na 67 67, Ricky Barnes 69 65, Richard S Johnson (Swe) 68 66, Cameron Beckman 67 67
135Brent Delahoussaye 69 66, Chris Riley 68 67, John Merrick 66 69, Robert Garrigus 64 71, James Driscoll 66 69, Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 67 68, Chris Wilson 66 69, Hunter Mahan 67 68, Chris Tidland 68 67, Bob Estes 66 69, Kevin Stadler 67 68, Marc Turnesa 68 67
136Charles Warren 68 68, Kris Blanks 66 70, Chris Stroud 68 68, Scott Piercy 68 68, Garrett Willis 67 69, D.A. Points 69 67, John Daly 66 70, Brett Quigley 68 68, Dean Wilson 70 66, Tim Petrovic 66 70, Andres Romero (Arg) 67 69, Troy Merritt 67 69
137Brian Davis (Eng) 67 70, Pat Perez 68 69, Paul Goydos 68 69, Brian Gay 69 68, Chris DiMarco 67 70, J.P. Hayes 69 68, Brenden Pappas (Rsa) 69 68, Josh Teater 68 69
138Brian Stuard 71 67, Jerry Kelly 69 69, Woody Austin 68 70, Nathan Green (Aus) 69 69, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 69 69, Arjun Atwal (Ind) 70 68, Roland Thatcher 71 67, Warren Schutte 69 69, Briny Baird 68 70
The following players missed the cut
139Daniel Chopra (Swe) 71 68, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 69 70, Jimmy Walker 69 70, Steve Wheatcroft 70 69, Matt Bettencourt 71 68, D.J. Trahan 71 68
140David Lutterus (Rsa) 69 71, Aron Price (Aus) 70 70, Bill Lunde 72 68, Omar Uresti 69 71, Steve Flesch 69 71, Ben Curtis 69 71, Vance Veazey 72 68, John Mallinger 71 69, Johnson Wagner 69 71
141Michael Bradley 71 70, Charley Hoffman 74 67, Paul Stankowski 72 69, Joe Ogilvie 72 69, Jeff Quinney 69 72, Roger Tambellini 68 73, Alex Cejka (Ger) 73 68, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 66 75, Derek Lamely 72 69, Steve Marino 70 71, Bryce Molder 68 73, Troy Matteson 73 68, Rocco Mediate 71 70
142Steve Holmes 71 71, John Rollins 71 71, Tim Herron 71 71, Parker McLachlin 71 71, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 69 73
143Rodney Pampling (Aus) 72 71, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 72 71
144Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 72 72, Jeff Gove 75 69, Eddie Olson 71 73, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 70 74
145Henrik Bjornstad (Nor) 73 72, Justin Bolli 70 75, Ted Purdy 70 75, Jay Williamson 73 72, Lee Janzen 73 72
146Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 76 70, Patrick Moore 72 74, Jeff Maggert 71 75, Marc Leishman (Aus) 71 75, Rich Barcelo 72 74
147Ernie Gonzalez 73 74
148Rich Beem 72 76, Brett Wetterich 73 75
149marty Jertson 74 75
156Mike Small 79 77
WD: 66 Stephen Ames (Can), 76 Michael Allen, 77 Greg Owen (Eng)
DQ: 152 Johnson Wagner 69 71