MIAMI, Fla. -- Gary Christian shot a 2-under 69 and Tim O’Neal fired a 5-under 66 Friday as the duo shares the second-round lead of the Miccosukee Championship. The pair is knotted at 9-under-par 133 and is one ahead at Miccosukee Golf and Country Club.
Chad Collins carded a 4-under 67 to join Boo Weekley, who shot a 2-under 69 on Friday, in third place at minus-8. Bryce Molder (70), Tripp Isenhour (65) and Cameron Beckman (67) share fifth place at 7-under-par 135.
This is the final full-field event of the season before the Nationwide Tour Championship in two weeks. The top-62 players get into the field in two weeks, then the top 20 on the money list following the Tour Championship move on to the PGA TOUR in 2007.
Christian began this week at No. 63 on the money list and played steady after opening with a 7-under 64 on Thursday. On Friday, he opened with a birdie, but hit a poor drive on the third to card a bogey.
He birdied the par-5 fourth, then bogeyed back-to-back holes with a three-putt at the fifth and a poor club selection at No. 6. Christian got back to even-par for the round with a birdie at the ninth.
Christian birdied the 13th and 14th holes, but dropped his fourth shot of the round at 15 when he hit his approach in the right rough. He birdied the 16th to post 9 under par.
‘It’s all cliches, but you just try and feel the same and be relaxed and try to swing with abandon and not get tight,’ said Christian. ‘It’s a two-round tournament now.’
O’Neal is 53rd on the money list and in no danger of losing his place two weeks from now at the Houstonian Golf and Country Club.
On Friday, O’Neal started on the back nine and waited until his seventh hole to record his first birdie. He parred his last two holes on the opening nine to reach 5 under par for the championship.
He birdied the first and fourth holes to get his name up the leaderboard, but back-to-back birdies at eight and nine put himself in strong position for his first Nationwide Tour victory.
Cliff Kresge (70), David Hearn (70), Jason Dufner (68), Matt Kuchar (69) and Kyle Thompson are knotted in eighth place at 6-under-par 136.
The 36-hole cut came at 1-under-par 141 with 63 players making it to the weekend.
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