Birdie blitz puts Van Pelt on top

Thirty-year-old Bo Van Pelt became the surprise second round leader at the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte today.

Van Pelt, chasing his first US Tour victory, had nine birdies – three of them in the last five holes – for a 64 that lifted him onto the 10-under-par halfway total of 134.

Jim Furyk, joint leader after an opening 68, improved to nine under with three to play, but bogeyed the 16th and 17th to leave Van Pelt with a three-stroke advantage.

Vijay Singh, who beat Furyk in a play-off for the title last year, moved into contention on five under with a 68.

Singh, without a win since last July and down to fourth in the world rankings, said: “I’ve worked really hard in the last four weeks to get some kinks out of my golf swing and I have a lot of good memories here,” said the Fijian.

“I love the golf course – it’s a ball-striking golf course – and I think it’s one of the best courses we’re going to play all year. It’s great for the game.”

Furyk stated: “It’s a very good, difficult golf course. It’s demanding and you really have to pretty much have all aspects of your game in good shape to play well here.”

Ernie Els, another yet to win this year, fought his way onto the leaderboard, but two late bogeys meant a second successive 71 and two under total.

Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell both missed the halfway cut – Westwood for the third tournament running and McDowell for the seventh time in nine events on the US Tour this season.

It is a further blow to their hopes of qualifying for next month’s US Open. They need to be in the world’s top 50 at the end of this month and Westwood is currently 49th, McDowell 86th.

Westwood, one over par overnight, played his first seven holes in one under, but finished the back nine with two bogeys, dropped another shot at the fourth and then double-bogeyed the sixth and seventh for a 78.

McDowell was also seven over after improving only one stroke on his opening 76.

Justin Rose and Luke Donald, two under and one under after the first round, were among the later starters, as was Masters champion Phil Mickelson.

Mickelson remained one under after nine, but Rose bogeyed the first and sixth, while Donald fell back to one over with six to play.

At two over with five holes remaining Greg Owen was right on the limit of qualifying for the final two rounds.