Winless Van Pelt leads Buick Open by two shots over Chopra and Hart

6/28/2008

GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) -- The PGA Tour's optimistic view of life without Tiger Woods is that it gives unheralded players a chance in the spotlight. Bo Van Pelt is trying to take advantage.

Van Pelt shot a 6-under 66 Friday at the Buick Open, making him a career-best 14-under 130 through 36 holes and the second-round leader by two shots.

He missed out on his best chance to win for the first time in seven PGA Tour seasons at the Puerto Rico Open, where he led for three-plus rounds before losing by a stroke to first-time winner Greg Kraft.

Daniel Chopra (67) and Dudley Hart (68) head into the weekend at 12 under, two shots behind Van Pelt.

Woody Austin (67) was another stroke back along with Matt Jones (63).
While some relative unknowns fill the leaderboard at a tournament expecting to feature Woods before he had season-ending knee surgery, the top players in a lackluster field are failing to dominate.

Jim Furyk (No. 12), Justin Leonard (No. 23) and Kenny Perry (No. 27) are the only players among the top 30 in the world at Warwick Hills, where just nine of the top 50 players in the world ranking are competing.

Perry (67) fared the best of the trio of standouts, trailing Van Pelt by six shots. Leonard (68) was nine strokes back, and Furyk was another shot behind after following up a solid first round with an even-par 72.

Rocco Mediate (69) made the cut at 4 under in his first tournament since pushing Woods for five-plus rounds in the U.S. Open before coming up just short in a dramatic matchup watched by millions.

Leaderboard – Round 2:

1. Bo Van Pelt                  USA  64 66 130 -14
2. Daniel Chopra              SWE  65 67 132 -12
    Dudley Hart                  USA  64 68 132 -12
4. Woody Austin               USA  66 67 133 -11
    Matt Jones                   AUS  70 63 133 -11
6. Fredrik Jacobson           SWE  68 66 134 -10
    Bubba Watson              USA  67 67 134 -10
8. Ken Duke                     USA  69 66 135 - 9
    Jon Mills                       CAN  66 69 135 - 9
    Todd Demsey               USA  68 67 135 - 9
    Charles Warren             USA  67 68 135 - 9
    Nick Watney                  USA  69 66 135 - 9

Source: AP, PGA Tour