Turnberry, July 18: Australian Greg Chalmers grabbed a two-stroke lead midway through the Milwaukee Championship by posting a three-under-par 67 in Friday’s second round at Brown Deer Park Golf Course in Milwaukee.
Chalmers, a 35-year-old lefthander looking for his first U.S. PGA Tour victory, had four birdies against a lone bogey to register a total of nine-under-par 131 over the two rounds.
Tied for second on seven-under were Americans Chris Riley (66), overnight joint leader Jeff Klauk (69) and Kris Blanks, who fired a seven-under-par 63 to compensate for his opening 70.
Tour rookie Blanks caught fire on the back nine with four birdies in a row after the turn. Following a bogey at the par-four 16th, the 36-year-old Georgian got right back on track to close with two more birdies.
Eighty players made the cut at one-over-par 141.
Chalmers, twice a winner on the satellite Nationwide Tour, was tied for the lead after 36 holes at one previous PGA Tour event — the 2000 Nissan Open where he finished tied for 18th.
Sydney native is looking to emulate compatriot Greg Norman in winning the event after Norman’s 1989 triumph.
—-Agencies