ATLANTA, September 23, 2011 (AFP) - Australian Adam Scott overcame a shaky start with birdies on seven of the last 12 holes to seize a one-stroke lead over K.J. Choi after Friday's second round of the PGA Tour Championship.
Scott fired a five-under par 65 to stand on eight-under 132 after 36 holes in the $8 million US PGA season-ending playoff event at East Lake Golf Club with South Korean Choi one adrift after a second-round 65.
"In great shape with two days to go," Scott said. "I'm very pleased with what I've done so far."
World No. 1 Luke Donald on England and Australian Jason Day, this year's Masters and US Open runner-up, were each two shots off the pace on 134. Day fired a 67 on Friday with Donald carding a 68.
Scott, who shared the Masters runner-up spot with Day, moved into the lead of the event and the projected PGA season playoff points race that pays a $10 million bonus Sunday in addition to the tournament's $1.4 million top prize.
After struggling early with bogeys on three of the first six holes, Scott began a run of four birdies in a row at the seventh, added another at the par-4 12th and capped the round with birdies at the par-4 17th and par-4 18th.
"Overall I played well, but there was some sloppy stuff early on and managed to put it all back together, so I was happy with that after a poor start," Scott said.
Choi opened and closed the front nine with birdies and fired another at the par-4 third. After a birdie at the 10th, Choi suffered his lone bogey at the par-4 13th, then responded with birdies on the next two holes.
"The swing (was) great and then scoring fantastic," Choi said. "I'm in very good position for the weekend, and I'll keep going for best finish."
Day birdied the first three even-numbered holes, two of them par-3s, before taking a bogey at the par-4 eighth. He battled back with birdies at the par-5 15th and 16th before a bogey at the 17th set him back.
"I'm not going to try and think about it at all," Day said of the possible king's ransom for a playoff crown. "First things first, you have to win the tournament. If you win the tournament, you have a good chance of winning the $10 million."
Donald opened with a birdie but took a bogey on the next hole. He also followed a birdie with a bogey on the seventh and eighth holes but began the back nine with a birdie and added another at 15 to move into a share of third.
"I was very happy with the score," Donald said. "I didn't hit the ball quite as solidly and I didn't quite have as much control as I did yesterday, but you're not going to hit it perfectly for 72 holes.
"It was just a little bit off, but it was really sharp around the greens, and 2-under really kept me in a great position."
In the points race, Scott led the projected points race with Choi sixth, Donald third and Day ninth.
Donald is the only one of the top five in points who control their destiny to find himself in contention, knowing he will take the playoff crown with a victory no matter how anyone else fares.
"I'm still in a great position to try and win this event," Donald said. "I know if I do that then everything that I want will be accomplished. It's going to make it exciting."
American Webb Simpson, the points leader entering the event, shared 19th on 139 with second-best compatriot Dustin Johnson four strokes further back in a share of 26th in the 30-man event.
England's Justin Rose, third in points, shared 28th on 144, while American Matt Kuchar, fifth in points, was in a share of 10th in the event, five shots behind Scott, who was not bothering with the points details.
"I've got to win and I imagine Webb must have to finish pretty lowly to give me a chance. That's all I know," Scott said.
"I just figure if I win this week, I'll be happy no matter what. I'll finish what I think has been a really good season, moving in the right direction with everything, and look forward to next season.
"I couldn't wait for it to start if I were to win this week."
Scores on Friday after the second round of the $8 million PGA Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club (USA unless noted, par-70):
132 - Adam Scott (AUS) 67-65
133 - KJ Choi (KOR) 68-65
134 - Jason Day (AUS) 67-67, Luke Donald (GBR) 66-68
135 - Bubba Watson 71-64, Bill Haas 68-67, Hunter Mahan 67-68, Keegan Bradley 64-71
136 - Jason Dufner 66-70
137 - Fredrik Jacobson (SWE) 70-67, Brandt Snedeker 68-69, Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 69-68, Matt Kuchar 67-70, Aaron Baddeley (AUS) 68-69
138 - David Toms 73-65, Steve Stricker 68-70, Phil Mickelson 68-70, Charles Howell 67-71
139 - Nick Watney 72-67, Webb Simpson 69-70
140 - Gary Woodland 72-68
141 - Vijay Singh (FIJ) 74-67, Bo Van Pelt 71-70
142 - Mark Wilson 72-70, YE Yang (KOR) 72-70
143 - Dustin Johnson 70-73, Chez Reavie 66-77
144 - John Senden (AUS) 73-71, Jonathan Byrd 70-74, Justin Rose (GBR) 69-75