Charl Schwartzel is one of three players tied at the top of a bunched leaderboard at the halfway stage of the FedEx St. Jude Classic, where Rickie Fowler missed the cut.
The South African followed an opening-round 65 with a four-under 66 on Friday at TPC Southwind to join Chez Reavie and Sebastian Munoz in a share of the lead on nine under.
Cink birdied the last to move within one of the leaders, as Fowler made an early exit despite four birdies in a seven-hole stretch along the back nine.
Starting the day one off the pace, Schwartzel drained a 25-footer at the 10th – his opening hole – and followed a six-foot birdie at the 14th with back-to-back gains from the 16th to reach the turn in 31.
Schwartzel grabbed the outright lead by picking up a shot at the second and missed a putt from six feet to double his advantage at the next, before bogeying his penultimate hole.
Overnight joint-leader Munoz maintained his share of the advantage thanks to three birdies in a seven-hole stretch after the turn, while Reavie posted an eagle late on in his blemish-free card.
Ireland’s Seamus Power lies in the group three off the pace which also includes overnight pacesetter Matt Every, while a joint-low round-of-the-day 64 from Adam Scott moved him within four of the lead.
Phil Mickelson threatened to challenge the leaders but double-bogeyed his final hole to close a four-under 66 and slip five strokes back, with Graeme McDowell and Francesco Molinari part of the group on two under.
Watch the FedEx St. Jude Classic throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports 4. Live coverage begins on Saturday from 7.15pm
