SILVIS, July 9, 2011 (AFP) - Chez Reavie fired a nine-under par 62 to seize a two-stroke lead over fellow Americans Steve Stricker and Steve Marino after the second round of the $4.5 million US PGA John Deere Classic.
Reavie, whose only tour triumph came at the 2008 Canadian Open, stood on 14-under 128 through 36 holes with Stricker, trying to win the event for the third year in a row, firing a 64 to match Marino in second on 130.
"I feel great with the putter so I just made sure I gave myself chances," Reavie said. "I wasn't super aggressive. When I had a mid to longer iron in, I played more toward the fat part of the green and just tried to give myself an opportunity.
"I knew if I just got it on the green somewhere, I really had a good chance of making a birdie."
Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas shared fourth on 132 after a 64 of his own with Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge and Americans Mark Wilson and Kyle Stanley.
India's Arjun Atwal, Canada's Matt McQuillan and Australians Nathan Green and Cameron Percy were in a group of nine players on 133.
"Could have made a few more putts, but there's no regrets. I made only one bogey today, so it was solid," Atwal said. "Nothing stood out. Just everything was pretty good.
"Didn't really miss too many greens, gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities and took advantage of a few. It's going to be the same game plan tomorrow, just try and shoot lights out on the weekend."
Reavie, who began his round on the back nine, opened with a birdie on the par-5 10th and birdied four of the last five holes before making the turn.
Reavie eagled the par-5 second, followed with back-to-back birdies, then took a bogey at the par-4 fifth but followed that with back-to-back birdies and was thinking about matching the tour record of 59 but settled for a career-low round and leading comfortably despite a closing bogey at the ninth.
"I birdied the seventh and that's when I thought that I make two more birdies I shoot 59," Reavie said.
"Then I hit it up to about 10 feet on eight and hit a great putt and lipped out. Then I kind of took a deep breath and I was like, OK now it's not really in the cards. But yeah, I thought about it and I was laughing about it and joking about it."
Marino is winless in five US PGA seasons but Stricker is the master of the course and in position for a third consecutive triumph.
"I don't know what it is," Stricker said. "I make a lot of putts. I've been putting real well here and seem to read the greens OK. I don't know what it is, but it has been a good ride."
South African Louis Oosthuizen and American Stewart Cink, the past two winners of the British Open, each missed the cut by a stroke. Oosthuizen will defend his crown next week at Royal St. George's in England.
Results on Friday after the second round of the $4.5 million US PGA John Deere Classic (USA unless noted, par 71):
128 - Chez Reavie 66-62
130 - Steve Marino 64-66, Steve Stricker 66-64
132 - Jhonattan Vegas (VEN) 68-64, Mark Wilson 65-67, Brendon de Jonge (ZIM) 66-66, Kyle Stanley 65-67
133 - Kirk Triplett 68-65, Billy Mayfair 67-66, Arjun Atwal (IND) 67-66, John Mallinger 68-65, David Mathis 68-65, Chris Stroud 69-64, Nathan Green (AUS) 69-64, Matt McQuillan (CAN) 64-69, Cameron Percy (AUS) 66-67
...
135 - Aron Price (AUS) 69-66, Steven Bowditch (AUS) 67-68
136 - Jason Day (AUS) 67-69, Brian Davis (GBE) 70-66, David Hearn (CAN) 67-69
137 - Michael Sim (AUS) 67-70, Sunghoon Kang (KOR) 72-65
138 - Rod Pampling (AUS) 69-69
Failed to qualify
139 - Ryuji Imada (JPN) 70-69, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 71-68, Marc Leishman (AUS) 72-67, Mark Hensby (AUS) 70-69, Chris Baryla (CAN) 70-69
140 - Alexandre Rocha (BRA) 68-72, Greg Chalmers (AUS) 67-73
141 - Richard S. Johnson (SWE) 72-69, Andres Romero (ARG) 71-70
142 - Matt Jones (AUS) 71-71, Jarrod Lyle (AUS) 73-69, Charlie Wi (KOR) 73-69
143 - Bi-o Kim (KOR) 72-71, Fabian Gomez (ARG) 73-70
151 - Mike Weir (CAN) 75-76