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| June 18, 2006 | Sunday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1427 |
Stricker leads as Woods heads home
MAMARONECK (New York), June 17: Journeyman Steve Stricker moved atop the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the US Open on Friday as superstar Tiger Woods headed home.
Stricker fashioned one of the five sub-par rounds yielded by the 6,264-yard, par-70 Winged Foot West course, posting a one-under 69 for a one-under total of 139 and a one-shot lead over Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.
Montgomerie had been the only golfer under par on Thursday, and for the most part Winged Foot continued to defy the world's best, including Woods.
The world number one, returning to competition after a nine-week layoff during which his father died, struggled through a round that included two double-bogeys, one birdie and three bogeys.
His second straight 76 gave him a 12-under total of 152, not enough to take his streak of cuts made in major championships past 39, dating back to the 1996 US Open.
Woods certainly wasn't the only one struggling. Stricker's one-under total was the highest halfway score for a US Open leader since 1986 at Shinecock Hills.
While Woods described his overriding feeling around Winged Foot as frustration, many on the leaderboard were feeling mostly relief.
Stricker holed out twice from bunkers to claim his sub-par round including at his final hole, the ninth.
Australian Geoff Ogilvy and US Open newcomer Kenneth Ferrie of England both posted even-par 70s to share third on one-over 141.
Jim Furyk the 2003 US Open winner, was the only former champion in the top 10. He carded a 72 for 142, sharing fifth place with Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who shot a 69.
Phil Mickelson, who lifted the last two major titles at the 2005 PGA Championship and the Masters in April, kept himself in the hunt with a three-over 73 for 143 and a share of seventh place.
Leading second round scores (cut set at 149):
139 Steve Stricker (US) 70, 69.
140 Colin Montgomerie (Britain) 69, 71.
141 Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 71, 70; Kenneth Ferrie (Britain) 71, 70.
142 Jim Furyk (US) 70, 72; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 73, 69.
143 Arron Oberholser (US) 75, 68; Phil Mickelson (US) 70, 73; Graeme McDowell (Britain) 71, 72; Jason Dufner (US) 72, 71.
144 Scott Hend (Australia) 72, 72; Bart Bryant (US) 72, 72; Philip Archer (Britain) 72, 72.
145 Darren Clarke (Britain) 73, 72; Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 70, 75; Vijay Singh (Fiji) 71, 74; Nick O'Hern (Australia) 75, 70; Mike Weir (Canada) 71, 74; Ian Poulter (Britain) 74, 71; David Duval (US) 77, 68.
146 Charley Hoffman (US) 76, 70; Peter Hedblom (Sweden) 72, 74; Stewart Cink (US) 75, 71; Fred Funk (US) 71, 75; Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 74, 72; Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 74, 72; Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 72, 74; Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 75, 71.
147 Fred Couples (US) 73, 74; Kent Jones (US) 73, 74; Ernie Els (South Africa) 74, 73; Jay Haas (US) 75, 72; John Holmes (US) 74, 73; Bo Van Pelt (US) 72, 75; Chad Collins (US) 76, 71; Robert Allenby (Australia) 73, 74; Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 74, 73; Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 75, 72; Luke Donald (Britain) 78, 69; Jeff Sluman (US) 74, 73; Craig Barlow (US) 72, 75.
148 Rod Pampling (Australia) 73, 75; Kenny Perry (US) 77, 71; David Howell (Britain) 70, 78; Charles Howell III (US) 77, 71; Steve Jones (US) 74, 74; Woody Austin (US) 72, 76; Sean O'Hair (US) 76, 72; Skip Kendall (US) 73, 75; Lee Williams (US) 75, 73; Adam Scott (Australia) 72, 76; Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 76, 72.
149 John Cook (US) 71, 78; Ted Purdy (US) 78, 71; Ryuji Imada (Japan) 76, 73; Tim Herron (US) 73, 76; Paul Casey (Britain) 77, 72; Tommy Armour III (US) 79, 70; Jeev Milkha Singh (India) 73, 76; Tom Pernice Jr (US) 79, 70; Ben Crane (US) 77, 72; Ben Curtis (US) 78, 71; Stephen Gangluff (US) 76, 73.Agencies
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