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HARRISON (New York), June 25: Jim Furyk produced a spectacular eagle at the toughest hole on the course as he hit a two-under-par 69 to retain the lead after the second round of the Barclays Classic on Friday.
The 35-year-old American, who had been three strokes in front overnight, rolled his 156-yard second shot straight into the cup at the par-four eighth.
Furyk, the 2003 US Open champion, also had two birdies and two bogeys as he finished eight-under on 134, one ahead of compatriot Brian Gay at the Westchester Golf Club.
Among the late starters, Gay was left to battle difficult blustery conditions as he returned a 66.
In joint third place on six-under 136 were Americans Len Mattiace (65) and Kenny Perry (68), Australian John Senden (67), Japan’s Hidemichi Tanaka (68) and Irishman Padraig Harrington (65).
World number two Vijay Singh of Fiji stayed within sight of the leader with an even-par 71 for 139.
Champion Sergio Garcia, who ended his opening round with four consecutive bogeys, hit three more on his front nine on Friday before emerging from his slump with three birdies. The Spaniard carded a 71 for 143.
Leading second round scores:
134 — Jim Furyk (US) 65, 69.
135 — Brian Gay (US) 69, 66.
136 — John Senden (Australia) 69, 67; Kenny Perry (US) 68, 68; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 71, 65; Len Mattiace (US) 71, 65; Hidemichi Tanaka (Japan) 68, 68.
138 — Kevin Sutherland (US) 70, 68.
139 — Tom Pernice Jr (US) 70, 69; Vijay Singh (Fiji) 68, 71.
140 — Billy Mayfair (US) 72, 68; Brad Faxon (US)72, 68; Dudley Hart (US) 71, 69; Mathias Groenberg (Sweden) 70, 70; Skip Kendall (US) 70, 70; Jeff Brehaut (US) 70, 70; Joe Ogilvie (US) 69, 71.
141 — Ian Leggatt (Canada) 68, 73; Corey Pavin (US) 77, 64; Tom Byrum (US) 70, 71; Charlie Wi (South Korea) 72, 69; Bill Glasson (US) 70, 71; Sean O’Hair (US) 72, 69; Brett Quigley (US) 73, 68; Pat Perez (US) 70, 71.
142 — Justin Rose (Britain) 74, 68; J.P. Hayes (US) 70, 72; John Rollins (US) 68, 74; Fred Funk (US) 69, 73; J.L. Lewis (US) 69, 73; Tom Gillis (US) 71, 71; Hunter Mahan (US) 75, 67.
VETERAN EXCELS
SAINT-QUENTIN (France): Argentina’s Eduardo Romero made light of his 50 years to capture the French Open second-round lead with a course record, nine-under-par 62 on Friday.
Romero will comfortably become the European Tour’s oldest winner if he maintains the flawless form that took him two shots ahead of the field. He hit nine birdies after playing 27 holes in one day at the storm-affected event.
First-round leader Jean Van de Velde (70) of France shared second position with Dane Soren Hansen (69) and Britain’s Jonathan Lomas (69) on eight-under 134.
Francois Delamontagne of France and Swede Martin Erlandsson were a further shot adrift on 135.
Leading second round scores:
132 — Eduardo Romero (Argentina) 70, 62.
134 — Soren Hansen (Denmark) 65, 69; Jonathan Lomas (Britain) 65, 69; Jean Van de Velde (France) 64, 70.
135 — Francois Delamontagne (France) 67, 68; Martin Erlandsson (Sweden) 68, 67.
137 — Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 69, 68; Peter O’Malley (Australia) 69, 68; Jean-Francois Remesy (France) 68, 69; Marcel Siem (Germany) 69, 68.
138 — Ignacio Garrido (Spain) 72, 66; Philip Golding (Britain) 69, 69; Anders Hansen (Denmark) 67, 71; Andrew McLardy (South Africa) 67, 71.
139 — Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 69, 70; Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 66, 73.
140 — John Bickerton (Britain) 69, 71; Marc Cayeux (Zimbabwe) 68, 72; Brian Davis (Britain) 71, 69; Robert-Jan Derksen (Netherlands) 71, 69; Nick Dougherty (Britain) 72, 68; Bradley Dredge (Britain) 67, 73; Klas Eriksson (Sweden) 72, 68; Mark Foster (Britain) 70, 70; Gregory Havret (France) 70, 70; Garry Houston (Britain) 67, 73; Francesco Molinari (Italy) 68, 72; Jarmo Sandelin (Sweden) 68, 72; Miles Tunnicliff (Britain) 71, 69.—Reuters
