Snedeker stays on top

WASHINGTON — Brandt Snedeker, struggling in his bid to back up a first-round 59, came alive late on Friday to stay atop the Wyndham Championship leaderboard with a two-stroke lead over D.A. Points.

Snedeker knew it would be hard to follow his Thursday performance, when he became just the ninth golfer to post a sub60 round on the US PGA Tour.

Unable to build any momentum early, Snedeker was one-over through nine holes at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.

But he regained the lead when he rolled in a 30-foot eagle putt at the par-five 15th and gave himself more breathing room with a 34-foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th as he posted three-under par 67 for a 14-under par total of 126 - his career low for 36 holes on tour.

"It was huge," Snedeker said of his strong finish. "I played a really sloppy front nine, didn't play particularly well, drove it poorly.

"Then on the back nine, which typically is the harder nine here, I finally hit the ball in the fairway off the tee and hit some quality iron shots and had a few holes where I missed some makeable putts.

"To see one finally go in was good, got some momentum going those last few holes.

"Obviously it's tough to back up what I did yesterday," he added. "I knew it was going to be tough today – didn't anticipate it was going to be this tough."

Snedeker, who won his first PGA Tour title in the Wyndham back in 2007, will be seeking a ninth career title over the weekend.

Snedeker had a twoshot lead over American D.A. Points, who had an eagle and four birdies in his second straight sixunder 64 for 128.

Taiwan's C.T. Pan was alone in third, a birdie-birdie finish capping a 64 that left him on 11-under 129.

Spain's Sergio Garcia, who needs a top20 finish to qualify for the US PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs, fired a fiveunder par 65 and headed a group sharing fourth on 131.