Martin Laird misses US cut but eight strokes

Brian Gay leads at halfway in

Verizon Heritage tournament

American Brian Gay charged into the halfway lead at the Verizon Heritage as former Open champion Todd Hamilton made a timely return to form.
Gay shot a five-under-par 66 at Harbour Town Golf Links thanks to six birdies on the front nine that got him out in 30. A bogey at the 11th was the only blemish as Gay fell back to nine under for the tournament, one stroke ahead of fellow American Hamilton.
Hamilton had scored his first top-20 finish of the campaign last week with a tie for 15th at The Masters having made the cut for only the third time in 10 starts in the final season of his five-year exemption on the US PGA Tour for winning the 2004 Open at Troon.
One shot further back at seven under is Germany's Alex Cejka, who posted a level-par 71 having shot an opening 64 on Thursday to secure the first-round lead, and American Lee Janzen, who carded a 70.
Rod Pampling of Australia posted a 68 for the second day in a row to reach midway at six under and in fifth place while former US PGA champion Davis Love III was on five under following a 67.
Rory Sabbatini of South Africa was in the clubhouse with a 68 that took him to four under in a five-man group.
Spanish veteran Jose Maria Olazabal opened with a three-under 68 and the two-time Masters champion followed that with a second-round 71 to stay at three under at the halfway mark in a group including Tom Lehman and Ernie Els, who also hit a 71.
Els' South African compatriot Trevor Immelman slipped down the leaderboard with 74 having shot a 66 on day one and will resume on Saturday at two under, as will England's Greg Owen, who shot a 71 and Jeev Milkha Singh of India.
English duo Paul Casey and Luke Donald both carded 70s to move to one over while Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy undid a good round with a double bogey at the par-four 18th that sent him down to one over with a 71.
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2 x 71)
133 Brian Gay 67 66
134 Todd Hamilton 68 66
135 Lee Janzen 65 70, Alex Cejka (Ger) 64 71
136 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 68 68
137 Davis Love III 70 67
138 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 70 68, Tim Petrovic 68 70, Ted Purdy 67 71, Scott Verplank 72 66, Tim Wilkinson (Nzl) 71 67, Tommy Armour III 70 68
139 Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 68 71, Bob Estes 68 71, Charley Hoffman 70 69, Ernie Els (Rsa) 68 71, Ken Duke 69 70, Tom Lehman 70 69, Scott Piercy 69 70, Tommy Gainey 71 68
140 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 71 69, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 66 74, Shaun Micheel 72 68, Heath Slocum 72 68, Greg Owen (Eng) 69 71, Matt Weibring 70 70
141 Aron Price (Aus) 68 73, Zach Johnson 70 71, Matt Kuchar 71 70, Mark Wilson 72 69, Charlie Wi (Kor) 71 70, Nathan Green (Aus) 70 71, Jose Coceres (Arg) 74 67, Boo Weekley 69 72, Briny Baird 69 72
142 Brad Adamonis 74 68, Bill Lunde 73 69, Colt Knost 74 68, Lucas Glover 74 68, Chris Couch 73 69, Stephen Leaney (Aus) 68 74, Stewart Cink 72 70, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 72 70, Ben Crane 73 69, George McNeill 71 71, Camilo Villegas (Col) 70 72, Tim Clark (Rsa) 72 70
143 Vaughn Taylor 71 72, Woody Austin 70 73, Charles Howell III 69 74, Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 72 71, Justin Leonard 70 73, Dean Wilson 69 74, Bo Van Pelt 73 70, Jason Dufner 70 73, Chris DiMarco 72 71, Cliff Kresge 68 75, Peter Lonard (Aus) 72 71, Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 75 68, Paul Casey (Eng) 73 70, Jeff Maggert 68 75, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 73 70, Luke Donald (Eng) 73 70, Jonathan Byrd 70 73
144 Spencer Levin 72 72, Brendon De Jonge 72 72, Michael Letzig 73 71, Robert Garrigus 70 74, Steve Lowery 73 71, Greg Kraft 72 72, Will MacKenzie 73 71, Joe Durant 73 71, Michael Allen 72 72, Steve Marino 71 73, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 76 68, Brett Quigley 72 72, Glen Day 71 73, Nicholas Thompson 73 71
MISSED THE CUT
145 Dudley Hart 73 72, Tim Herron 73 72, Eric Axley 73 72, John Senden (Aus) 74 71, Steve Elkington (Aus) 71 74, Webb Simpson 71 74, Bob Tway 72 73, Jeff Klauk 72 73, Robert Allenby (Aus) 73 72, Bill Haas 68 77, Jim Furyk 74 71, Marc Leishman (Aus) 72 73, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 73 72
146 Kevin Na 70 76, Brian Davis (Eng) 72 74, Michael Bradley 76 70, Cameron Beckman 76 70, Corey Pavin 72 74, Brandt Snedeker 70 76, Troy Matteson 76 70, John Mallinger 70 76, Matt Bettencourt 75 71
147 Charles Warren 73 74, Mark Brooks 75 72, Steve Flesch 77 70, Billy Mayfair 77 70, Tom Pernice Jnr. 78 69, Chez Reavie 74 73, Brian Bateman 73 74, Dustin Johnson 71 76, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 71 76, Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 73 74
148 Brad Faxon 77 71, Chris Stroud 73 75, Jeff Quinney 73 75, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 76 72, Marc Turnesa 78 70, James Driscoll 73 75
149 Kirk Triplett 71 78, Ryan Palmer 73 76, Kevin Streelman 71 78
150 Mark Anderson 74 76, Fred Funk 77 73, D.J. Trahan 71 79
151 James Nitties (Aus) 74 77, Jason Bohn 78 73
152 Billy Andrade 74 78, Kent Jones 74 78
153 John Rollins 80 73, Martin Laird (Sco) 77 76
155 Parker McLachlin 80 75
156 Cory Schneider 79 77