Jonathan ByrdRich Schultz
Jonathan Byrd grabbed the 36-hole lead at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open with a second round 63 to take a one stroke lead over Japan's Ryuji Imada.
Byrd, who matched his low round of the year, has now made 11 of his last 12 cuts after not making a single cut from April until June.
Imada equalled a career low 62 thanks to eight birdies, an eagle and one bogey, missing just one green for the low round of the day.
"I was playing really well last week, but I didn't expect 62," said Imada. "I've been working hard to get my second PGA TOUR victory, and you know, you never know when that next chance comes around. And this looks like it, so I'm going to give it my best shot."
Imada, whose best ever round in a PGA Tour event was 64, also shot 62 in the opening round of the 2009 OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup.
Rookie Alex Prugh shot a 7-under 64 to sit in a tie for third at 11-under par. Prugh, whose second place finish a week ago secured his 2011 PGA Tour card, shot 29 through the first nine holes, which put him on pace to become the first player to shoot 58. But after four straight pars and a birdie, a bogey on No. 6 ended those plans.
"Obviously the ham-and-cheese omelette the chef made me was the key or something like that," joked Prugh. "Realistically I didn't really hit the ball all that great all day. Just happened to have a great seven holes starting off the round."
John Senden, George McNeill, Nicholas Thompson and Martin Laird were also tied at 11-under par. Laird carded nine birdies including five in a row starting on No. 12 to equal Imada's low round of 62.
Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Saskatchewan had nine birdies and one bogey for a 63 to sit just three strokes behind the leader.
Stephen Ames of Calgary withdrew after shooting 39 in his first nine holes on Friday. Ames, who missed the cut last week as well, started the day at 5-under par.