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CROMWELL (Connecticut), Aug 27: Britain’s Justin Rose, hunting his first PGA Tour title, hit a seven-under-par 63 to charge four strokes clear of the field after the second round of the Buick Championship on Friday.
Without a bogey in the opening two days at the TPC at River Highlands, Rose tops the leaderboard on 12-under 128.
Former British Open champion Ben Curtis (68) and Kevin Sutherland (67) shared second spot on 132, with Dean Wilson (66) and Chris Smith (67) one shot further adrift.
A four-time winner internationally, Rose birdied his first two holes before taking sole possession of the lead with more back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh.
The 25-year-old Englishman then stamped his authority on the field with three consecutive birdies from the 12th.
Leading second round scores:
128 — Justin Rose (Britain) 65, 63.
132 — Ben Curtis (US) 64, 68; Kevin Sutherland (US) 65, 67.
133 — Dean Wilson (US) 67, 66; Chris Smith (US) 66, 67.
134 — J.J. Henry (US) 67, 67; Tjaart van der Walt (South Africa) 68, 66; Robert Allenby (Australia) 68, 66; Tim Petrovic (US) 67, 67; Michael Putnam (US) 65, 69.
135 — Franklin Langham (US) 65, 70; Corey Pavin (US) 66, 69; Vaughn Taylor (US) 65, 70; Zach Johnson (US) 72, 63; Darren Clarke (Britain) 70, 65; Tom Gillis (US) 67, 68; Glen Day (US) 68, 67; Jerry Kelly (US) 68, 67; Nick Watney (US) 69, 66.
136 — Jeff Brehaut (US) 68, 68; Pat Perez (US) 70, 66; Hidemichi Tanaka (Japan) 66, 70; Spencer Levin (US) 68, 68; Steven Bowditch (Australia) 68, 68; Will MacKenzie (US) 70, 66.
137 — Matt Kuchar (US) 70, 67; Patrick Sheehan (US) 72, 65; Doug Barron (US) 71, 66; Brian Gay (US) 71, 66; John Huston (US) 67, 70; Tim Herron (US) 70, 67; Woody Austin (US) 69, 68; Jason Bohn (US) 67, 70; Joey Sindelar (US) 75, 62; Cameron Beckman (US) 68, 69; Dennis Paulson (US) 68, 69.
138 — Jeff Maggert (US) 70, 68; Brian Davis (Britain) 71, 67; Lee Westwood (Britain) 69, 69; Jeff Sluman (US) 71, 67; J.L. Lewis (US) 64, 74; Frank Lickliter II (US) 68, 70; Tom Byrum (US) 67, 71; Paul Azinger (US) 73, 65; Mario Tiziani (US) 67, 71; Hunter Haas (US) 73, 65; Steve Allan (Australia) 70, 68; Bo Van Pelt (US) 67, 71; Jeff Hart (US) 71, 67; Brenden Pappas (South Africa) 69, 69.
MUNICH: Luke Donald, still chasing his first win of the season, moved top of a leaderboard for the second week in succession after firing a seven-under-par 65 in the second round of the BMW International Open on Friday.
The Briton’s flawless seven-birdie effort helped him share the lead with Brett Rumford of Australia on 12-under 132.
Leading second final round scores:
132 — Luke Donald (Britain) 67, 65; Brett Rumford (Australia) 65, 67.
133 — Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 65, 68; Simon Khan (Britain) 68, 65.
134 — Robert-Jan Derksen (Netherlands) 65, 69; Bradley Dredge (Britain) 67, 67; Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina) 67, 67; David Howell (Britain) 66, 68.
135 — David Carter (Britain) 70, 65; Martin Erlandsson (Sweden) 68, 67; Stephen Gallacher (Britain) 69, 66; Jonathan Lomas (Britain) 69, 66; Ian Poulter (Britain) 66, 69.—Reuters
