Slocum & Langley Share Lead in Wyndham Championship


Heath Slocum and Scott Langley each fired 5-under 65s to take over the top spot through 36 holes of the Wyndham Championship. The $5.3 million PGA Tour event got underway Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.

Slocum, a 40-year-old with four wins on Tour - his last coming in October 2010 at the McGladrey Classic, posted seven birdies and two bogeys to reach 10-under 130 on the par-70 course.

Langley, a 25-year-old from Illinois in search of his first victory, posted six birdies and one bogey to match Slocum atop the leaderboard.

One of Slocum's biggest recent barriers to returning to the winner's circle is his excitability under pressure. He's hoping that that problem has been cured this week. "That's been one of my biggest things, sometimes it's just getting out of my own way, just stop trying to do too much," he told reporters.

"Sometimes you just have to take a step back and just go, 'Have fun with it. Go play.' "

One stroke back are Americans Brian Stuard (65), Nick Watney (64) and Andrew Svoboda (64), along with Scotland's Martin Laird (66).

Two behind are Americans Bo Van Pelt (65), D.A. Points (65) and William McGirt (68), Sweden's Freddie Jacobson (64) and Carl Pettersson (65) - who lives in North Carolina, Japan's Ryo Ishikawa - who fired the low round of the day, an 8-under 62, Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas (65), Canada's Brad Fritsch (63) and Colombia's Camilo Villegas.

Villegas held the 18-hole lead after a 63, but shot a 69 Friday.

"Obviously I didn't play as good as I played yesterday," said Villegas, who hasn't won on the PGA Tour since the 2010 Honda Classic. "Started good, hit it good. During the middle of the round I got some great up and downs and I had a little birdie there on 15, 16 and yeah, gave a couple back on the last ones. I got no problem with that."

Other scores included a 69 by North Carolinian Webb Simpson, who followed up his opening 64 with a 69. The 2012 U.S. Open champion is now at 7-under 133 with, among others, Brandt Snedeker (65).

The shot of the day was made by Johnson Wagner, who holed out from 160 yards on his 18th hole (the par-4 ninth after he began the second round on the 10th tee). The eagle gave the 34-year-old Texan a 67; he's among the five players - the others are Andrew Loupe (68) and Kevin Kisner (64) - at 133.

The cut was set a 2-under 138. Defending champion Patrick Reed qualified for the weekend right on the number following rounds of 71 and 67.

Champions Tour regular Fred Couples posted a 74 and 69 to miss out by five strokes. Also heading home is Couples' good friend and fellow 50-something, Davis Love III, who shot 72 and 69.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.