LEMONT, July 3: Charles Howell III was a little surprised to be sharing the lead with Steve Lowery and Matt Gogel after the second round of the Western Open on Friday.
Despite excellent scoring conditions, especially in the morning, few players were able to shoot low numbers at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club.
Howell carded a four-under 67 for a six-under total of 136 to move into a tie for the lead with Lowery (68) and Gogel, whose 64 was the best round of the day.
Australians Geoff Ogilvy and Mark Hensby were tied for fourth place, one shot adrift. Robert Gamez, Scott Hoch, DJ Brigman and Australia's Robert Allenby, a former Western Open champion, were joint sixth on 138.
World number one Tiger Woods added a 73 to his opening 70 to stand seven shots off the pace.
Loren Roberts, who led on 64 on Thursday, slumped to a 75 in the second round to drop into an eight-man tie for 10th on 139.
The 49-year-old Roberts, who played in the afternoon when the wind picked up, was one of several leading competitors who slipped down the field on Friday.
Canada's Stephen Ames, tied for third after an opening 67, had a 73 while JL Lewis, who also shot a 67 on Thursday, slumped to a 74. Chad Campbell began with a 67 but then ballooned to a 76.
The most dramatic fall from grace, however, belonged to British Open champion Ben Curtis, who followed his first-round 67 with a 78 to miss the cut by one stroke.
Woods, who is aiming to win this title for the fourth time, said it was difficult to get near the pins because the greens were "springy".
The 64 by Gogel was by far the best round of the day. Only Australia's Stephen Leaney, who carded a 66, came close.
Gogel agreed with Woods's assessment of the putting surfaces.
Second round scores
136 Steve Lowery 68 68, Matt Gogel 72 64, Charles Howell III 69 67
137 Geoff Ogilvy 68 69, Mark Hensby 67 70
138 Robert Allenby 65 73, Robert Gamez 67 71, Scott Hoch 69 69, DJ Brigman 68 70
139 Stuart Appleby 71 68, Jonathan Byrd 67 72, Kevin Na 70 69, Mike Small 69 70, Scott Simpson 68 71, Heath Slocum 71 68, KJ Choi 68 71, Loren Roberts 64 75
140 Stephen Ames 67 73, Vaughn Taylor 71 69, Michael Allen 68 72, Dan Forsman 68 72, Luke Donald 72 68, Jim Furyk 69 71, Chris Smith 68 72, John Rollins 71 69
Goosen bounces back
STRAFFAN (Ireland): U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen fought off fatigue to fire a best-of-the-week 66 on the treacherous Smurfit course and grab a two-shot lead in the European Open second round.
Goosen's six-under broke the new European Tour layout's record as he moved to nine-under-par 135, two shots ahead of one of the three overnight leaders, Maarten Lafeber of the Netherlands.
Lafeber carded a respectable 70 in wet and windy conditions, while former European Open winner Lee Westwood, who had the worst of the wet and windy conditions in the afternoon was a further shot back in third.
On Wednesday Goosen ruled out his chances in his first tournament since winning his second U.S. Open crown at Shinnecock Hills a fortnight ago because of fatigue.
Having not even opened his golf bag until Tuesday, he said he was looking on this week as 'just a stroll' but six birdies without dropping a shot, showed he was far from just strolling.
After he posted a 69 in the first round, to be two shots off the lead, Goosen felt that four 69s would be good enough to win and, despite his faultless showing, would not change that view.
Goosen is seventh in the world rankings and back-to-back victories will only enhance his position, but he conceded he has a long way to go to catch number one Tiger Woods.
Second placed Lafeber, returning to form after going through illness and a family bereavement, is still a threat to Goosen as he bids for his second tour title, but the Dutchman was left marvelling at the man in front of him.
Westwood, having to withstand buffeting heavy squalls, considered his two 69s were the best he had played all year.
Australian Nick O'Hern, co-leader overnight, shot a 72 to lie four strokes off the lead, while the afternoon winds and downpours ruined the chances of Westwood's playing-partners Colin Montgomerie, who slumped 10-over with an 82, and Jose Maria Olazabal, who only missed the cut by a stroke on six-over.
Second round scores
135 Retief Goosen 69 66 137 Maarten Lafeber 67 70 138 Lee Westwood 69 69 139 Nick O'Hern 67 72 140 James Kingston 72 68 141 Paul Broadhurst 67 74, Niclas Fasth 70 71, David
Howell 69 72, Jose Manuel Lara 73 68, Paul
McGinley 70 71 142 Matthew Blackey 69 73, Gordon Brand Jnr 74 68, Christian
Cevaer, 73 69, Peter O'Malley 72 70 143 Kenneth Ferrie 77 66, Peter Hedblom 71 72,
Henrik Stenson 71 72 144 Andrew Coltart 70 74, Gary Evans 70 74, Thongchai Jaidee
