US PGA TOUR EVENT IN MEXICO

WINLESS PUTNAM LEADS AT HALFWAY,

KNOX MAKES CUT, HARRINGTON OUT 

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) -- Michael Putnam birdied five of the first eight holes Friday and finished the second round with a 7-under 64 to take the lead in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.
Putnam has a 12-under 130 halfway total, playing the first 36 holes without a bogey on Mayakoba's El Camaleon course. He won the Web.com Tour's 2013 Mexico Championship.
"I've kept the ball in play really well," Putnam said. "It's a tight golf course and got to keep it between the trees. After that, I've hit a lot of greens and made a lot of two putts. I did make about a 10-footer for par on 16 -- probably the hardest hole on the course. Other than that, it was a pretty easy bogey-free round."
Winless in 95 career US PGA Tour starts, the 31-year-old former Pepperdine University player birdied the par-4 18th to close his morning round.
"It's a hard hole today," Putnam said. "Driver, 6-iron into the wind and an 18-foot putt."
Shawn Stefani and Jason Bohn are a stroke back. They each shot 65.
Stefani had seven birdies and a bogey.
"I've been hitting the ball really well for quite some time now," Stefani said. "The last few days really has been credit to my putter. I kind of figured something out on Wednesday and focused on that."
Bohn had six birdies in his second straight bogey-free round.
"It's about positioning yourself in the middle of the fairway or right side of the fairway and trying to attack some of these flags," Bohn said. 
"One of my strengths is just getting the ball in play. If I can get my putter hot, we'll see what happens."
Ken Duke is 10 under after a 63, the best round of the day.
David Hearn, Nicholas Thompson, Will MacKenzie and Alex Cejka were 9 under. Hearn and Thompson shot 65, Cejka had a 67, and MacKenzie a 68.
Fred Funk, the oldest player in the field at 58, was 8 under after a 65. He won the 2007 event at 50 years, 8 months, 12 days to become the fifth-oldest US PGA Tour winner.
Oscar Fraustro topped the seven Mexican players in the field, shooting a 67 to reach 7 under.
Countryman Carlos Ortiz was another stroke back, overcoming an early double bogey for a 69. He won three times on the Web.com Tour last season.
Defending champion Harris English was 4 under after a 71.
EUROPEAN WATCH: Russll Knox made the cut with a couple of shots to spare. He has had rounds of 69-68 for five-under 137 and is T37. 
Gonzalo Fernandez Castano (Spain) is also playing at the weekends with rounds of 71-67 for 138. He is T46.
But England's Greg Owen (69 for 140) and Brian Davis (68 for 141) missed out, as did Padraig Harrington (72 for 146).

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2x71) Players from USA unless stated
130 Michael Putnam 66 64
131 Shawn Stefani 66 65, Jason Bohn 66 65
132 Ken Duke 69 63, Alex Cejka (Germany) 66 67, David Hearn 68 65, Nicholas Thompson 68 65, Will MacKenzie 65 68 
SELECTED SCORES
137 Russell Knox (Scotland) 69 68 (T37)
138 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 71 67 (T46)
MISSED THE CUT (139 and better qualified)
140 Davis Love III 66 74, Greg Owen (England) 71 69
141 Brian Davis (England) 73 68
142 Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 74 68
146 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 74 72 
 

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