MIYAZAKI (Japan) Nov 18: Jim Furyk fired a six-under-par 64 to lead defending champion Tiger Woods by a stroke on Friday at the midpoint of Japan’s richest golf tournament, the Dunlop Phoenix.

Furyk hit seven birdies to move to nine-under-par overall. Woods, the world number one, stood at eight under after a round 67 featuring five birdies and two bogeys.

“Only being one back is pretty good,” said Woods, who has finished as runner-up in his last two tournaments. “I hit every shot flush, (but) I either pulled it or spun it a touch.”

First round leader David Duval, a former world number one, also trailed by a single stroke after a two-under-par 68.

Furyk, world number seven, will be paired with Woods and Duval from Saturday.

Making a 15-foot putt after finding water on the 17th hole where he made his sole bogey was a key moment. “If ever there was a nice bogey, that was it,” said the American.

Japanese pros Tetusji Hiratsuka and Kaname Yokoo were four strokes back of the leader after each shot a 67.

The Dunlop Phoenix has 200 million yen ($1.7 million) in prize money, helping it draw the strongest international field of the season.

New Zealand’s U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell was seven strokes off the lead at two under par. Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie was at even par.

Leading second round scores:

131 - Jim Furyk 67-64

132 - David Duval 64-68, Tiger Woods 65-67

135 - Tetsuji Hiratsuka 68-67, Kaname Yokoo 68-67

137 - Wen-Chong Liang 72-65, S.K. Ho 70-67, Tomohiro Kondo 67-70

138 - Prayad Marksaeng 69-69, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano 72-66, Toru Suzuki 71-67, Tsuyoshi Yoneyama 72-66, Michael Campbell 72-66

139 - John Rollins 74-65, Chawalit Plaphol 69-70

140 - Dinesh Chand 74-66, Colin Montgomerie 71-69

141 - Chris Campbell 70-71

142 - Thammanoon Srirot 69-73, Paul Sheehan 70-72, Steve Conran 71-71

143 - Kim Jong-Duck 69-74, Choi Gwang-Soo 70-73

144 - Lin Keng-Chi 71-73, David Smail 72-72

145 - Scott Laycock 75-70, Daniel Chopra 69-76, Bubba Watson 71-74, Robert Allenby 73-72.

VILAMOURA (Portugal): The English duo of David Howell and Luke Donald overcame a struggling start to their second round to close with three birdies and retain a share of the lead in the second round of the four million dollar WGC World Cup.

The pair shot a three under 69 in the foursomes to be tied at 13-under par with Wales and Sweden.

The performance means that England are still on target to defend the title they won last year when Donald was paired with Paul Casey.

Wales’ Stephen Dodd and Bradley Dredge had an even more spectacular finish than England, closing with four straight birdies.—Agencies