LEMONT (Illinois), July 8: Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods swapped hot for cold on Friday, while world number three Vijay Singh held steady to surge up the leaderboard after two rounds of the Western Open.
Singh posted his second successive round of four-under-par 67 to stand second, two shots behind unheralded Daniel Chopra of Sweden, who birdied seven of his last nine holes to match his opening 66 for 10-under-par 132 as gentle conditions led to more low scoring at Cog Hill.
Stewart Cink made six birdies without a bogey on the front nine to tie the tournament record of 29 and birdied three more holes against two bogeys on the back for 64.
Cink was tied for third at 135 along with fellow American Joe Ogilvie (69) and South African Trevor Immelman (66).
Mickelson and Woods, both returning to competition after stumbling badly at last month's US Open, were again the focus of the largest galleries.
Woods showed the benefit of working overtime at the practice range by shooting four-under 67 after his opening 72.
Mickelson slumped to 74 after his first-round 67.
Trying to shed the rust from taking a long break from golf following his father's death in May, Woods spent more than two hours on the range working into the night after his late-day tee time in Thursday's opening round.
Mickelson went in the opposite direction, the beefy lefthander had four consecutive bogeys from the second hole.
Eighty-three players made the cut, which was set at even-par 142.
Leading second round scores:
132 Daniel Chopra (Sweden) 66, 66.
134 Vijay Singh (Fiji) 67, 67.
135 Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 69, 66; Joe Ogilvie (US) 66, 69; Stewart Cink (US) 71, 64.
136 Robert Damron (US) 69, 67; Lucas Glover (US) 66, 70; Stephen Ames (Canada) 68, 68; Jim Furyk (US) 69, 67; Scott Gutschewski (US) 70, 66; Robert Garrigus (US) 72, 64.
137 Stephen Leaney (Australia) 67, 70; Zach Johnson (US) 68, 69; Stuart Appleby (Australia) 68, 69; Luke Donald (Britain) 70, 67; Robert Allenby (Australia) 67, 70; Jason Gore (US) 70, 67; Davis Love III (US) 67, 70; Bubba Dickerson (US) 70, 67.
138 Steve Lowery (US) 71, 67; Heath Slocum (US) 70, 68; K.J. Choi (South Korea) 68, 70; Peter Lonard (Australia) 69, 69; Steve Flesch (US) 71, 67; Shaun Micheel (US) 69, 69; Jerry Kelly (US) 71, 67; Joe Durant (US) 72, 66; Pat Perez (US) 69, 69; Mathew Goggin (Australia) 69, 69; James Driscoll (US) 73, 65; Rod Pampling (Australia) 73, 65; Brett Wetterich (US) 69, 69; Charles Warren (US) 67, 71; Charley Hoffman (US) 70, 68.
139 Steve Jones (US) 71, 68; Jonathan Kaye (US) 69, 70; Rich Beem (US) 72, 67; Tiger Woods (US) 72, 67; Steve Stricker (US) 71, 68; David McKenzie (Australia) 66, 73; Brian Gay (US) 70, 69; Patrick Sheehan (US) 68, 71; Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 69, 70; Bill Haas (US) 69, 70; Jeff Overton (US) 68, 71.