PONTE VEDRA BEACH (Florida), May 10: Germany’s Bernhard Langer rolled back the years with a vintage display while American Kenny Perry eked out a one-shot lead in the Players Championship second round on Friday.

Langer sank a monster birdie putt from 60 feet on the treacherous 17th green en route to a sparkling five-under-par 67, ending a gruelling day of gusting winds a stroke behind Perry, who returned 70.

Perry, seeking his 10th PGA Tour title but his first since the 2005 Colonial tournament, collected three birdies and a lone bogey for a six-under total of 138.

Overnight leader Sergio Garcia surrendered a one-shot cushion by double-bogeying the 17th and had to settle for a tie for second place with Langer and American Paul Goydos (71).

Defending champion Phil Mickelson carded a 73 to lie five strokes off the pace at one under, level with world No 4 Ernie Els (71) and Britain’s Ian Poulter (74).

Of the other big names, twice US Open winner Retief Goosen was at level par after returning a 71, two ahead of 2004 champion Adam Scott of Australia, also after a 71.

The halfway cut fell at three-over 147 with British Open champion Padraig Harrington and former major winners Vijay Singh, Zach Johnson and Geoff Ogilvy among those missing out.

Leading second-round scores:

138 — Kenny Perry (US) 68, 70.

139 — Bernhard Langer (Germany) 72, 67; Paul Goydos (US) 68, 71; Sergio Garcia (Spain) 66, 73.

140 — Anthony Kim (US) 70, 70.

141 — Boo Weekley (US) 70, 71.

142 — Briny Baird (US) 71, 71; John Merrick (US) 70, 72; Fred Couples (US) 70, 72; Stephen Ames (Canada) 74 68; Kevin Stadler (US) 70, 72; Ben Crane (US) 70, 72.

143 — Ernie Els (South Africa) 72, 71; Ian Poulter (Britain) 69, 74; Phil Mickelson (US) 70, 73.

144 — Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 70, 74; J.J. Henry (US) 71, 73; Chris DiMarco (US) 71, 73; Stuart Appleby (Australia) 72, 72; Retief Goosen (South Africa) 73, 71; J.B. Holmes (US) 72, 72; Jeff Quinney (US) 71, 73; Bart Bryant (US) 73, 71; Rory Sabbatini (South Africa) 73, 71; Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 73, 71; Daniel Chopra (Sweden) 72, 72; Soren Hansen (Denmark) 71, 73.

145 — Cliff Kresge (US) 74, 71; Billy Mayfair (US) 72, 73; Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 74, 71; Chad Campbell (US) 73, 72; Robert Allenby (Australia) 74, 71; Heath Slocum (US) 69, 76; Steve Elkington (Australia) 69, 76; Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 71, 74; Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 70, 75.

146 — Jesper Parnevik (Sweden) 72, 74; Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 76, 70; Dean Wilson (US) 74, 72; Todd Hamilton (US) 69, 77; Brian Gay (US) 72, 74; Ben Curtis (US) 74, 72; Stewart Cink (US) 71, 75; Adam Scott (Australia) 75, 71; Johnson Wagner (US) 72, 74; Jim Furyk (US) 74, 72; Rocco Mediate (US) 74, 72; Tim Petrovic (US) 73, 73; Brett Quigley (US) 70, 76; Troy Matteson (US) 70, 76; Tom Lehman (US) 73, 73; Ryan Moore (US) 72, 74; Jerry Kelly (US) 74, 72; Pat Perez (US) 72, 74.

147 – Nick O’Hern (Australia) 73, 74; Richard Sterne (South Africa) 77, 70; Kevin Na (US) 72, 75; Mark Wilson (US) 76, 71; David Toms (US) 77, 70; Jonathan Byrd (US) 76, 71; D.J. Trahan (US) 70, 77; Luke Donald (Britain) 75, 72; Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 74, 73; Charlie Wi (South Korea) 74, 73; Ken Duke (US) 72, 75; Tommy Armour III (US) 71, 76; Nicholas Thompson (US) 70, 77; Mike Weir (Canada) 71, 76; Nick Watney (US) 76, 71; Greg Kraft (US) 75, 72; Davis Love III (US) 73, 74; Woody Austin (US) 71, 76; Jason Bohn (US) 74, 73; Jose Coceres (Argentina) 72, 75.—Reuters