Franklin Langham joined an astonishing birdie feast to take the lead after the second round at the $3 million Doral-Ryder Open in Miami yesterday. He shot a nine-under-par 63, but that wasn't even the best round on a day when 58 players broke 70 in perfect conditions on the Doral Resort's Blue Monster course.

Langham hasn't done anything all year until this week. "I always struggle on the West Coast," he said. "This is the grass I grew up on and I am used to reading the grain.

"I am just trying to see how many birdies I can make to keep up," added Langham, who was at 15-under 129, a tournament record low halfway score. He led by three strokes from fellow American Jim Furyk (67), Japan's Shigeki Maruyama (65), Fiji's Vijay Singh (67) and Trinidad's Stephen Ames, whose 61 was a course record.

American-based Englishman Edward Fryatt also went low, shooting 62 that included a PGA Tour record-equalling eight birdies in a row. Nevertheless, he was still eight shots from the lead.

The cut fell at a ridiculously-low three-under 141, something that didn't surprise three-time champion Greg Norman. "When there's no wind the best players in the world are going to take dead aim at everything," said Norman, who shot 70 to trail by nine shots.

Ireland's Keith Nolan, with a second 71, missed the cut.