Golf:An eight-under-par 62 from Justin Rose saw the Englishman build a five-shot lead midway through the second round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
Rose, who earned his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Memorial earlier this month, set about doubling his tally at TPC River Highlands near Hartford with a bogey-free round just one stroke off the course record at the 6,844-yard, par-70 layout.
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, five strokes clear of Vijay Singh and Bill Lunde with half of the field getting their second round under way on a warm, clear day in New England.
For the second day in a row Rose holed five consecutive birdies on his back nine 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’s co-leaders Pádraig Harrington of Ireland, Australian Mathew Goggin and South Korea’s Charlie Wi were all part of the later wave, but the Irishman failed to make progress through 15 holes in his second round and remained six under with three to play.
Singh continued his return to form after an injury-plagued start to 2010 with a five-birdie, one-bogey second-round 66 to reach nine under after 36 holes,
while Lunde hit two eagles, four birdies and one bogey for his 63.
Also in the clubhouse was Australia’s Matt Jones, whose 67 advanced him to eight under while his compatriot Steve Elkington also shot 67 and is at seven under.
Rose needs a strong finish this week to cement a place at next month’s Open Championship at St Andrews. His victory at the Memorial sent him to the top of a six-event money list on the PGA Tour, the top two places after next week’s AT&T National earning an exemption from the R&A to the third major of the year.
American rookie Rickie Fowler, who lost his final-round lead to Rose at the Memorial, is currently second in the list and he shot a second-round 65 at TPC River Highlands to move to four under following an opening 71.
There was an early casualty ahead of the halfway cut as Kevin Stadler was disqualified for signing an incorrect card at the end of his first round.