Mackenzie takes lead at John Deere

Will MacKenzie surged to the top of the leaderboard with a seven-under 64 during the second round at the £2m (€2.5m) John Deere Classic in Illinois.

MacKenzie, who began the day one shot back from Charlie Wi and Ken Duke, started on the back nine and birdied three of his opening eight holes and made four more on his final eight during his bogey-free round.

The American is at 13-under for the tournament, two strokes ahead of Wi (67), Kenny Perry (66) and Eric Axley (66).

MacKenzie has endured a wretched year, missing the cut in eight of 12 events and breaking 70 just six times entering this event.

However, he built upon the momentum from his opening-round 65 by matching the best score of the tournament.

Conversely, Perry, who is in the midst of one of the best stretches of his career, had a chance to grab a share of the lead but bogeyed the 18th following a stretch of six birdies in nine holes. Still, he signed for his 10th consecutive round in the 60s.

In his last six events, the 47-year-old Perry has two wins, a play-off loss and a tie for sixth place.

England’s Brian Davis also made a move up the leaderboard, carding a 66 to sit alone in sixth at nine-under 133.

Wi, who used an eagle to gain a share of the first-round lead, ripped off four birdies in his first 12 holes before his lone bogey of the tournament at the 14th hole.

Axley also is looking to turn around a rough year that has seen him miss 10 of 20 cuts.

Brad Adamonis, who fired a five-under 66, is in third place at 10-under for the tournament. Adamonis made a late charge with consecutive birdies at holes 14, 15 and 16.

Duke got off to a solid start with birdies at the fourth and fifth holes, but he stumbled with three bogeys the rest of the way for a one-over 72 to fall seven shots back at 136.