Ernie Els continued his post-Masters rehabilitation by storming three shots clear of the field at the halfway stage of the Heritage Classic at Hilton Head, South Carolina on Friday.
Two strokes off the pace overnight, the South African birdied five of his last eight holes for a second successive six-under-par 65 at the tree-lined Harbour Town Golf Links.
Hunting his first PGA Tour victory in three years, Els posted a 12-under total of 130 to overhaul first-round leader Jerry Kelly, who bogeyed the par-four last for a 70.
Straight-hitting American Fred Funk carded a 67 to lie a further stroke back at eight under in a tie for third with Australia’s Stephen Leaney (68).
Els, who missed the cut by two strokes at last week’s Masters, made the most of calm morning conditions to move into a strong position for a 16th PGA Tour title.
After teeing off at the 10th, he birdied the par-four 16th to reach the turn in one-under 34 before taking control on the easier front nine.
”I felt there were a couple of birdies to be made there, and that’s what I did,” a smiling Els told reporters after picking up shots at the second, fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth, where he tapped in a four-footer.
”I hit some quality shots and made some good putts. It was an enjoyable round, the opposite of last week.”
His 36-hole aggregate was just one short of the tournament record of 13-under 129, set by Jack Nicklaus in 1975 and matched by Phil Mickelson in 2002.
Els, who missed the cut at Augusta for the first time in a major since the 1999 PGA Championship, felt he paid the price there for trying to hard.
”I don’t know if it was tournaments leading up to the Masters or the Masters itself, I wanted it too badly,” the world number five said.
The way I can play
”A lot of times I think I pushed a little too hard here and there and got in my own way. This week I’ve just tried to play the way I can play.
”If I’m going to make a mistake, then I don’t feel like it’s the end of the world. My mindset is a little different.”
The three-times major winner, whose last PGA Tour victory came at the 2004 WGC-American Express Championship in Ireland, is ready to return to the pinnacle of the game.
”I was at a pretty high level, pretty close to being number one in the world, and then fell off that level,” the 37-year-old said. ”To try and get back there has been very tough.
”I haven’t been consistent at this level but there have been glimpses of good play. It’s nice to be there again.”
Australian Aaron Baddeley, winner of last year’s Heritage Classic, birdied three of the last four holes for a 66 to share seventh place at six under.
Masters champion Zach Johnson was a further two shots back after carding a 68 while Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy, winner of last year’s US Open, narrowly made the halfway cut at one over after returning a 73.
Also on the cut line at one over were five-times champion Davis Love III (69) and twice major winner John Daly (70).
Seventy-one players qualified for the weekend. Among those missing out were world number two Jim Furyk, who ended a run of 20 consecutive cuts, and last year’s US Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman. – Reuters