HOUSTON (Texas), Nov 3: Scott Verplank upstaged golf’s biggest names to grab the lead after the second round at the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship Friday.

Verplank, a diabetic who plays wearing an insulin pump strapped to his belt, produced a round of symmetry, picking up three birdies on each nine for a six-under-par 65 in ideal conditions at the par-71 Champions Club.

He posted a 10-under 132 halfway total, one stroke better than German Bernhard Langer (68), while Canadian Mike Weir (66) was two shots behind.

Tiger Woods, who played in severe back pain Thursday, swung much more freely Friday on his way to a 67, which left him five shots off the pace.

Frank Lickliter, who shared the first-round lead with Langer, backtracked with a 73 to fall six shots behind Verplank.

Langer had no complaints about his position, even though he surrendered the lead.

Second round scores:

132 Scott Verplank 67 65

133 Bernhard Langer (Germany) 65 68

134 Mike Weir (Canada) 68 66

135 Mark Calcavecchia 71 64, Justin Leonard 69 66

136 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 69 67

137 Chris DiMarco 69 68, Ernie Els (S. Africa) 69 68, Bob Estes 71 66, Tom Lehman 69 68, Steve Lowery 67 70, Kenny Perry 70 67, Tiger Woods 70 67

138 Joe Durant 73 65, David Duval 69 69, Brad Faxon 68 70, Frank Lickliter 65 73

139 David Toms 73 66

140 Stewart Cink 70 70, Scott McCarron 70 70

141 Jim Furyk 70 71

142 Davis Love III 70 72

143 Robert Allenby (Australia) 76 67, Vijay Singh (Fiji) 70 73, Jeff Sluman 73 70, Hal Sutton 70 73

144 Steve Stricker 74 70

145 Scott Hoch 74 71

146 Billy Mayfair 72 74—AFP/Reuters