Leonard extends lead in Memphis

Justin Leonard followed an opening 62 with a solid five-under-par 65 to take a five-shot lead over Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson after the second round of the St Jude Classic in Memphis, Tennessee.

Leonard, 33, who won his ninth PGA Tour event at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in January, posted six birdies and a bogey to end the day on 13 under at 127.

“It has been a lot of fun,” Leonard said. “I missed a couple of fairways but had a lot of good tee shots. That is setting up the rest of the golf course for me.”

Starting at the 10th, Leonard was at level-par until back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th.

A birdie at the par-five third was followed by birdies at the sixth and seventh to give the Texan the ninth 36-hole lead of his career, two of which he has turned into wins.

“I don’t ever think I have had a lead like this, so I don’t have a lot of experience to draw upon,” Leonard said.

Jacobson fired a six-under 64 that featured birdies on his first three holes and finished on eight under at 132 to move into second place.

Paul Goydos shot a 66 to take third spot at 133 – one stroke ahead of Matt Gogel, Heath Slocum, Tom Pernice Jr and Roland Thatcher.

Slocum carded a 66, Thatcher 67 and Gogel and Pernice each had a 68.

Two-time defending champion David Toms shot a one-over 71 and is 12 shots off the pace – virtually ending his chances of becoming the first player to capture a PGA Tour event three years in a row since Tiger Woods won four in a row at Bay Hill from 2000-2003.

Kenny Perry, who won the Colonial last week by seven shots, shot 73-74 and missed the cut which was two-over 142.

Major championship winners Mark Brooks and Paul Azinger also went home early.

Woods, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson are not entered in Memphis while Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Padraig Harrington are playing in the BMW Championship on the European Tour.