Howell grabs halfway lead

Charles Howell III, the youngest player entered in the Tour Championship, displayed the poise of a veteran at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

The slightly built 23-year-old carded a one-under-par 69 to take a one-stroke lead over Steve Lowery, Len Mattiace, Vijay Singh and David Toms midway through the season-ending event.

Howell, the reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year who captured his first career title three weeks ago at the Michelob Championship, completed 36 holes at five under 135.

He began the day one shot behind first-round co-leaders Singh and Lowery.

But Mattiace suffered bad luck on the final hole, costing him a share of the lead.

His third shot, punched out of a trap 40 yards short of the pin, hit a tent located just a few feet behind the green.

It then bounced backwards, landing in the fairway about 50 feet in front of the green.

Mattiace chipped within four feet and sank the putt for a bogey.

Tiger Woods bounced back from an opening-round one-over 71 to post a two-under 68, leaving the world’s top-ranked player in a four-way tie for ninth, four shots off the pace.

Only 12 players in the elite field comprising the top 30 money-winners completed the 36 holes under par.

On Thursday, Woods had his string of 21 consecutive sub-par rounds snapped as he failed to break par for the first time since shooting a career-worst 81 in the third round of the Open.

Among those players tied with Woods is Phil Mickelson, the world number two also carded a one-under 69 after opening with a 70.

Collated second-round scores from the Tour Championship, East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia (Par 70, USA unless stated):

135 Charles Howell III 66 69

136 Vijay Singh (Fij) 65 71, David Toms 70 66, Steve Lowery 65 71, Len Mattiace 68 68

138 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 69 69, Chris DiMarco 70 68, Fred Funk 67 71

139 KJ Choi (Kor) 71 68, Tiger Woods 71 68, Scott McCarron 70 69, Phil Mickelson 70 69

140 Jerry Kelly 71 69, Kenny Perry 71 69

141 John Rollins 70 71, Chris Riley 72 69, Bob Estes 72 69, Jim Furyk 68 73, Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn) 68 73, Nick Price (Zim) 73 68

142 Rich Beem 70 72, Loren Roberts 71 71, Ernie Els (Rsa) 73 69, Davis Love III 72 70

143 Robert Allenby (Aus) 74 69

144 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 71 73, Jeff Sluman 72 72, Justin Leonard 71 73

145 Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa) 74 71

147 Rocco Mediate 74 73