The American golfer Tommy Gainey carded a five-under 65 to grab a three-shot lead over a chasing pack led by a hard-charging South African Ernie Els after two rounds at the latest US PGA event in North Carolina.
Gainey, who shared a one-shot lead after the opening round , took advantage of ideal early scoring conditions mixing six birdies with his only bogey of the week to reach the midway point at 12-under 128.
Els, who needs a strong finish here to secure a spot in the lucrative season-ending FedExCup playoffs, got his day off to a wobbly start with a bogey at the first but was error free the rest of the way returning a four-under 66.
Els is joined at nine-under 131 by Australian Stuart Appleby and Americans Daniel Summerhays and Webb Simpson.
Lurking a further shot back is another pack of four led by Briton Paul Casey, who like Els is battling for a place in the playoffs.
