Reavie seizes lead at John Deere golf classic

Chez Reavie fired a nine-under par 62 to seize a two-stroke lead over fellow Americans Steve Stricker and Steve Marino after the second round of the $4.5 million US PGA John Deere Classic. Reavie, whose only tour triumph came at the 2008 Canadian Open, stood on 14-under 128 through 36 holes with Stricker, trying to win the event for the third year in a row, firing a 64 to match Marino in second on 130. "I feel great with the putter so I just made sure I gave myself chances," Reavie said. "I wasn't super aggressive. When I had a mid to longer iron in, I played more toward the fat part of the green and just tried to give myself an opportunity. "I knew if I just got it on the green somewhere, I really had a good chance of making a birdie." Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas shared fourth on 132 after a 64 of his own with Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge and Americans Mark Wilson and Kyle Stanley. India's Arjun Atwal, Canada's Matt McQuillan and Australians Nathan Green and Cameron Percy were in a group of nine players on 133. "Could have made a few more putts, but there's no regrets. I made only one bogey today, so it was solid," Atwal said. "Nothing stood out. Just everything was pretty good. "Didn't really miss too many greens, gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities and took advantage of a few. It's going to be the same game plan tomorrow, just try and shoot lights out on the weekend." Reavie, who began his round on the back nine, opened with a birdie on the par-5 10th and birdied four of the last five holes before making the turn. Reavie eagled the par-5 second, followed with back-to-back birdies, then took a bogey at the par-4 fifth but followed that with back-to-back birdies and was thinking about matching the tour record of 59 but settled for a career-low round and leading comfortably despite a closing bogey at the ninth. "I birdied the seventh and that's when I thought that I make two more birdies I shoot 59," Reavie said. "Then I hit it up to about 10 feet on eight and hit a great putt and lipped out. Then I kind of took a deep breath and I was like, OK now it's not really in the cards. But yeah, I thought about it and I was laughing about it and joking about it." Marino is winless in five US PGA seasons but Stricker is the master of the course and in position for a third consecutive triumph."I don't know what it is," Stricker said. "I make a lot of putts. I've been putting real well here and seem to read the greens OK. I don't know what it is, but it has been a good ride." South African Louis Oosthuizen and American Stewart Cink, the past two winners of the British Open, each missed the cut by a stroke. Oosthuizen will defend his crown next week at Royal St. George's in England.