Langley Takes Over Top Spot in Travelers Championship


Scott Langley followed up his opening 6-under 64 with a 65 to take the halfway lead in the Travelers Championship. The $6.2 million PGA Tour event is taking place at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

Langley, a 25-year-old Tour rookie from Barrington, Ill., carded seven birdies and a bogey in the first round. The 2010 individual NCAA champion followed that up with eight birdies, a bogey and a double on the par-4 second (his 11th hole as he started play on the 10th tee).

Langley stands at 11-under 129, a stroke ahead of Americans Michael Putnam (63) and Harris English (64), and South Korea's K.J. Choi (65).

"I've putted really well so far this tournament, and I've kept the ball in play," Langley told reporters. "I think I've hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens, and my iron play has been a real strength this week so far.

"I've given myself a lot of birdie putts inside of 10 feet, and a bunch inside five, which are kind of bonuses sometimes coming in with mid-irons and even short irons. It's been nice giving myself kind of easy opportunities to make birdie and hopefully continue to make it easy on myself the next couple of days."

Two shots out of the lead are Ryan Moore (68), Eric Axley (67), Jamie Lovemark (63) and 18-hole leader Brendan Steele, who followed up his opening 62 with a 69.

Steele had six birdies and an eagle in the first round, but dropped his first shots of the tournament Friday. Starting on the 10th hole, the 31-year-old Californian posted four birdies - on hole Nos. 3-6 (his 12th through 15th holes), an eagle on the par-5 13th (his fourth hole) and five bogeys.

In solo ninth at 8-under 132 is Dustin Johnson, who's posted two 66s. Sharing 10th another stroke back are Matt Kuchar (67), Aaron Baddeley (66) and Bud Cauley (67).

The 36-hole cut was set at 1-under 139. The top-rated player in the field, two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, qualified for the weekend right on the number after rounds of 67 and 72.

Also moving on to the final two rounds is defending champion Ken Duke, who's recorded a 65 and 72.

Erik Compton, the two-time heart-transplant recipient who finished tied for second with Rickie Fowler in last week's U.S. Open behind Martin Kaymer, shot a 69 after starting out with a 74. Unfortunately, his 1-under total wasn't enough as the 34-year-old Floridian missed the cut.

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