GLENVIEW, Ill. – Jerry Smith matched a tournament record with an 8-under-par 64 Saturday to take a three-shot lead after the second round of the Encompass Championship.
Smith is at 14-under 130 as he seeks his first professional title of any kind. Mark Goodes was second, while Bart Bryant, Fred Funk and David Frost are among the group five strokes back.

Smith, who tied for third last week at the Seniors Swiss Open, was six under par for his first seven holes Saturday at North Shore Country Club, sinking an 11-foot eagle putt at the 579-yard, par-5 16th. He started on the back nine and shot 30.

He tied the tournament’s 18-hole record set by Russ Cochran last year in this Champions Tour event.

Smith, 51, played in Europe last year and has played in 14 Champions Tour events. The only other time Smith has led in a pro tournament was in the 2005 Virginia Beach Open on the Web.com Tour.

Goodes followed nine straight pars with four birdies in five holes to shoot 32 on the back nine and take the lead until Smith played in the afternoon.

Goodes didn’t turn pro until age 50 in 2007, and his only Champions Tour victory came in the 2009 Allianz Championship.

Lee Janzen, Funk and Frost followed up first-round 65s in which they were tied for the lead by shooting 70 and are tied with Bryant and Woody Austin for third at 135.

GULLANE, Scotland – Unheralded Daniel Brooks overcame a dreadful start, an injured wrist and the toughest conditions of the week to keep his unlikely lead at the Scottish Open on Saturday, after a windy third round in which Rickie Fowler surged up the leaderboard.

The 528th-ranked Brooks, who surprisingly took a three-shot lead after the second round, recovered from a double bogey on his first hole to shoot a 1-under 69 for a one-stroke advantage on 12-under 198.

Raphael Jacquelin, a Frenchman ranked No. 335, shot 64 for the lowest round of the day and was alone in second place, ahead of Joost Luiten (66), Tommy Fleetwood (67) and Fowler, who eagled the par-5 16th in a 66.

Justin Rose, the defending champion, was one of the many players to struggle as winds picked up on the Gullane links off the Firth of Forth, shooting 72 to drop from second to a tie for 18th – six shots off fellow Englishman Brooks. The 12th-ranked Jimmy Walker made three double bogeys and a triple-bogey 8 in his front nine on his way to a 78, which left the American in last place.

A first prize of nearly $850,000 – easily the biggest payday of his career – and a spot at next week’s British Open at St. Andrews is at stake for Brooks in what would be a life-changing win for the 28-year-old Londoner. He had missed the cut at 13 straight tournaments before finishing tied for 20th at the French Open on Sunday.

“I have struggled all year and I need some money to keep my card,” Brooks said. “It’s a big day.”

Brooks won the Madeira Islands Open in May 2014, a tournament restricted to 36 holes and marred by the death of a caddie, but he is in uncharted territory this week given the standard of a field looking to gain links practice ahead of the British Open.

A nervy start saw him slice his opening drive into the thick rough and he could only hack at the ball for his second shot, which moved a foot. In doing so, he jarred his wrist and he said he felt twinges throughout his round.

A six on the first hole briefly dropped him out of the lead behind Jacquelin, and he needed some clutch putts for pars on Nos. 2-4 before settling down.

“I wasn’t feeling the pressure today, which is a nice feeling,” Brooks said.

Jacquelin has a good record at the Scottish Open with a 2nd place in 2009 and a 3rd in 2010, both on the parkland Loch Lomond course. He also showed he is adept over the links in a bogey-free round where he picked up four shots on the front nine, during which he chipped in from off the green on No. 6, then birdies on Nos. 12-13.

Two Frenchman have won this event in recent years – Thomas Levet in 2004 and Gregory Havret in 2007 – and on both occasions Jacquelin was on hand to spray his compatriots with champagne afterward. It’s a French tradition he’d like to see happening again on Sunday, especially given his poor 2015 that has seen go without a top-10 finish.

“I’ve been struggling getting the ball on the fairway or the greens this year,” the 41-year-old Jacquelin said. “Maybe it’s a new Raphael coming back.”

Fowler is the biggest name on the leaderboard after following up a 66 and 68 with another solid round that shows he is in good form ahead of his latest attempt at landing a major. The ninth-ranked American is two shots off the pace.

“One of the goals coming in was to get ready for next week but putting myself in contention has got my juices ready,” Fowler said.

Matt Kuchar of the U.S. is one of three players on 9 under overall after a 67. Phil Mickelson shot a 70 and is nine strokes back.

WINNIPEG, Man. –  Los Angeles, California’s J.J. Spaun will look to continue a hot streak on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada on Sunday after firing a 4-under 67 at Pine Ridge Golf Club to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of The Players Cup.The 24-year old birdied three of his first four holes on Saturday to take the solo lead and held it for the rest of the day, making a pair of lengthy par putts on the 16th and 17th holes to build a two shot cushion at 13-under heading into Sunday.

“I feel like everything is kind of clicking right now and I’m just going with it, and I’m just trying to enjoy it,” said Spaun, who has finished in the top-10 in each of the last three Mackenzie Tour events, including a playoff loss at last week’s SIGA Dakota Dunes Open presented by SaskTel.

The third year Mackenzie Tour member began the day tied with Dundas, Ontario’s Mackenzie Hughes for the lead, but established himself as the frontrunner even as others made a move on Saturday, most notably North Vancouver, B.C.’s Eugene Wong, who fired a 9-under 62 in the day’s first pairing to tie the lead before the final group even teed off.

“It was good to get off to a hot start and get out ahead a little bit before I got into the middle of the round. That settled the nerves a bit,” said Spaun. “Having a two shot lead coming in – no lead is safe, but it’s better to have some sort of cushion than none at all. Making those putts were very good momentum boosters towards the end of my round.”

Spaun comes into the week in the fifth spot on the Order of Merit and can take over No. 1 with a win as long as current leader Drew Weaver finishes no better than a tie for second.

“I try not to get too far ahead of myself. Of course it’s going to creep into the back of your head but I try to do what I can do best out on the course,” said Spaun of trying not to focus on the big picture with plenty at stake on Sunday.

Two back of Spaun was Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, who fired a 4-under 67 to reach 11-under, while Taiwan’s C.T. Pan and Rockville, Maryland’s Danny Balin were a shot further behind. Wong, who matched the course record with his 9-under 62, was alone in fifth at 5-under.

SILVIS, Illinois – Four holes into Friday’s second round, Jordan Spieth knew he was in danger of missing the cut.

The Masters and U.S. Open champion will head into Saturday knowing he’s got a shot at another win before the British Open.

Spieth bounced back from an even-par opening round with a 7-under 64 to give himself a chance to contend at the John Deere Classic.

Spieth, 21, still has a lot of work to do to catch the leaders, though.

He’s five shots behind Justin Thomas, who leads with a 12-under 130 total. Johnson Wagner is a shot back after shooting a second-round 63, as is Tom Gillis after shooting a 65.

Spieth said he knew he needed to shoot at least a 67 on Friday. He did better than that.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a course that yields a lot of birdies. It’s still hard to do on the PGA Tour. I wasn’t taking it for granted. I was still searching,” said Spieth, who will try for his third straight major title next week at St. Andrews. “Once I got a couple of shorter putts to go in and got a little bit of breathing room, I was able to be patient knowing that there were other birdie holes left.”

Spieth took two weeks off after winning the U.S. Open and acknowledged he was rusty during his first round at the TPC Deere Run.

After opening with four straight pars Friday, Spieth finally got going with four birdies and an eagle over a remarkable seven-hole stretch.

Spieth, who started on the back nine, stuck his approach on the par-4 14th hole within 3 feet. He then hit putts of 24 and 16 feet to get to 3 under.

The best hole of the tournament for Spieth came on No. 2. A 319-yard drive and a 241-yard approach left him with a 4-foot eagle putt.

Spieth needed just 25 putts Friday. This week is playing out similarly to his first tournament after winning the Masters. After opening the RBC Heritage in late April with a 74, Spieth shot a 62 in the second round.

“I knew I’d have my chances, and then my putter started working,” Spieth said.

Thomas, 22, has had something of a rivalry with Spieth for years.

They were two of the best college golfers in the country while Thomas was at Alabama and Spieth was at Texas – though Spieth has clearly outpaced Thomas in the pro ranks.

But it’s Thomas who heads into the weekend with the advantage.

Thomas opened play with a tournament-best 63 and followed it up with a solid 67. Thomas had five more birdies Friday, putting himself in position for his first career win after losing the lead with a dreadful back nine at last week’s Greenbrier Classic.

“I’ve had my opportunities and I’ve learned from my mistakes, learned from the times when I didn’t feel like I played or made the mental decision I felt like I should have,” Thomas said.

Zach Johnson won’t tee off Saturday with one of the top groupings.

But he’s in prime position for another strong finish at the TPC Deere Run.

Johnson, who won here in 2012 and has finished in the top three in five of his last six starts at Deere Run, strung together three straight birdies for a 68 – his 26th straight round in the 60s at this course.

Johnson is four back of Thomas at 8 under and one shot ahead of Spieth.

“I had my chances,” Johnson said. “I just didn’t get it in the low, low number. But I can’t be too upset.”

Canadian Roger Sloan posted a round of 3-under 68 Friday, while Adam Hadwin and David Hearn signed for a scores of 70 to play the weekend.  Nick Taylor missed the cut after a round of 72 today. Mike Wier withdrew from the competition after an opening round of 73.

LANCASTER, Pa. – Amy Yang has experienced success at the U.S. Women’s Open. Now, she wants the ultimate prize.

The 25-year-old South Korean went on a four-birdie run Friday, charging to a three-stroke lead after two rounds at Lancaster Country Club and putting her in position – again – to make a run at her first major championship.

The day started early for 55 players, who resumed their opening round after play was suspended late Thursday due to a powerful storm. The second round ended with the bulk of the field still trying to solve the speedy and sloping greens of the hilly William Flynn layout in the heart of Amish country.

Ultimately, the day belonged to Yang.

She took control on her inward nine with birdies on the 11th, 12th, 13th. She hit her approach to within a foot on No. 14 and punctuated the 4-under-par run. She was at 7-under 133.

“I just enjoy it out here,” Yang said. “And I know the golf courses are very tough; I just enjoy the tough condition of the golf courses.”

Stacy Lewis, last year’s runner-up, and Japan’s Shiho Oyama were tied for second at 4-under 136.

Yang has had her share of success on the LPGA Tour, earning two victories since turning pro in 2006. But some of her finest golf has been played in the U.S. Open, where she has finished in the top 10 four times in the last five years.

She tied for fifth in 2010, shared 10th place the following year and placed second in 2012. Last year at Pinehurst No. 2, she was third after 36 holes and first after 54 before closing with a 74 and finishing fourth.

She was paired with eventual winner Michelle Wie in the final round at Pinehurst and believes that experience can only help over the final two rounds.

“It’s better to have that experience than never experience that before,” Yang said. “It’s different out there and I know what kind of pressure that is like. It will be tough, but I will be patient and work on it.”

Lewis birdied four of eight holes in the middle of her round, but bogeyed her last and settled for a 3-under 67.

Lewis’ patience was tested early in the first round as she struggled with four bogeys and two birdies before breaking out of her funk. That carried over into the second round and she went on a tear that propelled her near the top of the leaderboard – again – in the biggest event in women’s golf.

“I just started playing golf, is really what it was,” Lewis said, “I was thinking a lot those first 10, 11 holes, thinking a lot about my golf swing and just not playing. So I got to just playing golf … and it’s what you’re seeing in the scores.”

The 38-year-old Oyama had an opening 70 and was 2 over early in her second round before shooting up the leaderboard. She made six birdies in a 12-hole stretch, including four on her second nine on the way to a 4-under 66.

She has a total of nine victories in Japan. She played in the 2007 and 2009 U.S. Opens, but said surgery kept her from playing golf for a year. She’s thrilled to be back in the championship.

“I feel really great. … I’m so excited to play two more days,” she said.

Marina Alex, part of a three-way tie for the lead after one round, carded a 1-over 71 and was in fourth place at 3-under 137.

Karrie Webb, also first-round co-leader, had a 2-over 72 and was in a large group at 2-under 138. That group includes top-ranked and two-time champion Inbee Park (70), first-round co-leader Jane Park (72) and Morgan Pressel (70).

Inbee Park and Jane Park were among the players forced to finish their first rounds early Friday.

Jane Park, the 2004 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, used a birdie and four pars to earn a share of the lead after one round.

“It wasn’t exactly a day where I could be very aggressive with my putts because the pin placements were very difficult,” she said.

Inbee Park, a two-time U.S. Open winner with titles in 2008 and 2013, played 22 holes Friday. She said her patience was tested by her poor putting.

“I hit probably every putt short, I missed it short,” she said. “It’s hard to think that you have to smash the putts at a U.S. Open. That’s where putts are, really, really slow. It’s a little bit disappointing. “

Wie rebounded from an opening 72 with a 2-under 68 and was seven shots off the lead.

Team Canada Young Pro Brooke Henderson signed for a round of 73 today and sits T44 heading into the weekend. Christina Foster missed the cut after a round of 82 to follow a round of 71 yesterday.

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Lee Janzen likes what he’s seen from his golf game lately even if it means not seeing much of his home.

Janzen birdied three straight holes Friday to close his front nine and went on to shoot a 7-under 65 at North Shore Country Club to share the first-round lead in the Encompass Championship with Fred Funk, David Frost and Brad Bryant.

Janzen qualified in New York on June 8 for the U.S. Open, then followed up his two rounds at Chambers Bay near Seattle with a sixth-place finish at the Constellation Senior Players Championship outside Boston. He played the next week in the U.S. Senior Open in Sacramento and flew to Washington, and now he’s in the Chicago area for another Champions Tour event.

“Fortunately, I feel like I’ve got a decent idea about what I’m doing with my golf swing, so I don’t have this urgency to go to the golf course and hit a lot of balls,” Janzen said.

Janzen started on the back nine Friday and birdied the 15th and 16th holes to get to 3 under. He missed the green on No. 17 but then chipped in for a birdie.

“I probably would have had a 6- to 8-footer for par coming back had it not gone in,” Janzen said. “I came out of that hole smelling a lot better than it looked.”

Janzen is still smarting from his failure to make the cut in the U.S. Open, which he blamed on two shots that led to a double and triple bogey.

“If I had just paid attention a little better on two irons shots and made a few putts, I feel like I would have had a chance to at least finish in the top 10,” he said.

Funk began the season bothered by a sore elbow and sat at home for three months before returning.

“I’m trying to hit the ball better and I’m able to play,” Funk said. “But I can’t swing the way I want to swing.

“The doctors told me I’ve got a bunch of tendons hanging on by threads, they say, on both sides – inside and outside. They said eventually it will just go away on its own … maybe.”

Both Funk and Bryant had stretches of four birdies in five holes on their back nine.

Funk’s bogey-free round was his best to start a tournament since the Champion Tour’s opening round of the 2014 season. He holed out from a greenside bunker at No. 5, his 14th hole.

“I played really solid today overall,” Funk said. “I gave myself some chances, but I actually had a couple little breaks, too.”

Bryant’s score was his best in any Champions Tour event since 2012.

“I did not expect too much warming up today,” he said. “I figured something out at the end of my warmup session, and on the golf course I hit it great. It came out of nowhere.

“It sort of felt like the old Brad today.”

Jerry Smith, Mike Goodes, Craig Stadler and Rod Spittle are a shot behind the leaders.

GULLANE, Scotland – Some of the top names in golf were upstaged by a player ranked No. 528 in the world at the Scottish Open on Friday, with unheralded Englishman Daniel Brooks surging into a surprise three-shot lead after the second round.

Brooks rolled in a 30-foot putt for birdie on the last hole for a 5-under 65, which followed up a first-round 64 – the lowest 18-hole score of his eight-year professional career – at the links tune-up for next week’s British Open at St. Andrews.

Defending champion Justin Rose, 2008 winner Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry all shot 66 and were in a six-way share of second place on 8 under, a group that also included American Ryan Palmer (65).

Phil Mickelson birdied Nos. 14-16 to recover for a 68 that lifted him to 3-under overall and above the cut mark of 2 under – despite what the five-time major champion called a “horrific” putting display on the Gullane greens.

But they were all trailing Brooks, who was ranked as low as No. 570 two weeks ago after 13 straight missed cuts on the European Tour. “Something clicked,” the 28-year-old Londoner said, when he tied for 20th at last week’s French Open to break the dismal streak and he has carried that form to the east coast of Scotland.

“It’s hard work when you are going out there every week and playing bad. It gets to you,” the reserved Brooks said. “You know you can do better, and I’m showing it this week.”

Brooks’ only title came after a playoff at the Madeira Islands Open in May last year, but that victory was in a tournament that was reduced to 36 holes because of fog and was overshadowed by the death of the caddie of Scottish player Alastair Forsyth earlier that day.

“With Mack (Ian MacGregor) passing away, I didn’t have time to celebrate. It wasn’t a nice feeling,” Brooks said. “I got a win but it put a downer on it.

“I’ve played some terrible golf since then but it’s started to come back.”

An eagle on the par-5 2nd hole, following a 5-iron to 8 feet from 225 yards, was the highlight of Brooks’ round.

Rose is in contention to become the first player to retain the Scottish Open title after two 66s, although he was shaken up during his second round after striking an elderly spectator on the head with an errant drive.

The 2013 U.S. Open champion sent his tee shot left on the par-5 16th and when he approached his ball, there was a man sitting on the ground with blood coming from a cut on his head. Rose said a young spectator fainted at the sight of the blood, but soon “came around.”

“First you hope it’s not a kid, then you hope it’s not a woman. It’s an elderly gentleman, so it’s not nice, but he took it like a trooper,” Rose said. “He was talking to me and that’s reassuring.”

Rose made par on that hole, as he did on every hole on the back nine after picking up five birdies from Nos. 2-8. That was around the time morning rain relented and Friday’s early starters were treated to still conditions that left the Gullane links defenseless.

“I would say I’m running at 50 percent,” said Rose, who won at Royal Aberdeen last year.

Lowry, a links specialist from Ireland, is continuing his form from the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay where he was tied for ninth. And McDowell is also relishing this style of golf after a difficult 2015 in which the Northern Irishman has dropped out of the world’s top 50 for the first time in five years.

The other players on 8 under were Sweden’s Johan Carlsson (67) and England’s Matthew Nixon (67). Americans Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar both shot 68 and are five shots behind Brooks.

Mickelson looked like he was heading for an early exit and two extra days of practice at St. Andrews after dropping to level par overall with bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12.

The 2013 champion of both the Scottish and British Opens turned it round, although he said: “For me to make the cut the way I putted the first two days in surprising.”

Two players who did miss the cut: First-round leader Thorbjorn Olesen, who shot 7-over 77 for level par; and Ian Poulter (71 for 1 over).

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Lee Janzen, Fred Funk, David Frost et Brad Bryant partagent la tête du Championnat Encompass après des rondes de 65 (moins-7), vendredi, au club de golf North Shore.

Janzen, vainqueur de l’Omnium des États-Unis en 1993 et 1998, a calé une approche coupée au 17e trou lors d’une séquence de trois oiselets consécutifs en matinée.

Funk, Frost et Bryant ont joué en après-midi. Ils ont tous terminé la première ronde à un coup du record du tournoi établi l’an dernier par Russ Cochran, qui avait bouclé une ronde en 64 coups.

Le Canadien Rod Spittle fait partie du groupe à un coup des meneurs, en compagnie de Mike Goodes, Jerry Smith, Craig Stadler et Jeff Sluman.

Les autres Canadiens en lice sont Rick Gibson (71), Stephen Ames (73) et Jim Rutledge (74).

WINNIPEG, Man. – Dundas, Ontario’s Mackenzie Hughes and Los Angeles, California’s J.J. Spaun reached 9-under through 36 holes on Friday at Pine Ridge Golf Club to share the 36-hole lead at The Players Cup, the fifth event on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s 2015 schedule.

Hughes, the 2013 Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit winner, carded a 6-under 65 to match the earlier clubhouse lead set by Spaun (64), who currently sits no. 5 on the Order of Merit and in position to earn status on the Web.com Tour for 2016. Hughes and Spaun sat two shots clear of Order of Merit leader Drew Weaver of Atlanta, along with Kalmar, Sweden’s Robert Karlsson and Rockville, Maryland’s Danny Balin through 36 holes.

“It was a really good day from start to finish,” said Hughes, who finished tied for third here in 2013 on the way to his Order of Merit victory. “I feel pretty comfortable around here. I like the way the course sets up and the challenges it presents. You play a solid steady round and you’re going to be moving up, so I like that about this place and I’m looking to it this weekend.”

The 24-year old member of Golf Canada’s Young Pro Squad was one of just three players without a bogey on Friday, illustrating a stress-free round that was his lowest of the year so far on the Mackenzie Tour.

“I’m sure most guys hate bogeys, but I especially hate bogeys, so when you do that and get in your last few holes, it’s on your mind. I try not to think about it too much. I had a lot of good looks today and didn’t have too many stressful pars, so that was nice,” said Hughes.

Earlier, Spaun, who lost to Michael Letzig in a playoff at last week’s SIGA Dakota Dunes Open presented by SaskTel, posted the best round of the week with a 7-under 64 to set the pace.

“I kept the ball in front of me and made some putts and didn’t make very many mistakes, so it was a good day,” said Spaun, who made six birdies, an eagle and a bogey. “You really have to take advantage of the gettable par-5s and the easy par-4s, and fortunately I did that today and was able to capitalize on it.”

Spaun has improved with each finish on the Mackenzie Tour this season, lining up results of T16-T10-T8-T2 heading into this week in Winnipeg. The 24-year old former NCAA All-American at San Diego State said he’s seen his game improve in 2015 and is becoming more comfortable each week on Tour.

“I’ve been playing good for the past five months, but I just haven’t been playing in anything where it mattered. I knew my game was there so I think for me it’s just all about believing it and having no fear,” said Spaun.

UNION, Ont. — In a week that had a little bit of everything from unpredictable weather, to penalty strokes to the round-three leaders, things finally came to a conclusion at the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Investors Group Women’s Amateur on July 10 at the St. Thomas Golf & Country Club, the 100^th anniversary of the event.

Heading into the final round, Orangeville’s Brittany Marchand held a two-shot lead. However, it would be a lights-out performance by Maddie Szeryk that would be the final-round story as she shot a four-under (68) to overcome the deficit and hoist the Marlene Stewart-Streit Trophy.

Szeryk, a Canadian-American dual citizen, makes her home in Texas, where she also attends Texas A&M, but has family connections to London, Ont., with her grandparents residing there. She is also a member of the Golf Canada National Team.

The 18-year-old Szeryk wasted little time in grabbing the lead. She birdied the first hole and then added three more on the fifth, sixth and eighth to lead at the turn. She was able to keep up her strong play on the back nine in order to take the win at seven-under for the tournament (73-70-70-68).

After the win, Szeryk spoke about what it meant to win the 100^th Ontario Women’s Amateur. “It is a pretty big honour to win the 100^th one, that is amazing!” Said Szeryk. “I came into the tournament hoping to play well and am really happy with the outcome. Coming into the tournament I knew it was a huge event and that it would mean a lot to win it. My family is from London, so to win here made it even better.”

When asked about what made the difference this week, Szeryk credited her play to having a solid all-round game. “It really was everything. I was focused on each shot, playing my plan and hitting the right shots. Today was really solid.”

Sharing the silver medal were Marchand and Victoria, British Columbia’s Naomi Ko. Marchand, the National Team and Brampton Golf Club member had her struggles during the final round and just couldn’t find her consistency. She finished the day one-over (73) and four-under for the Tournament (69-73-69-73).

As for Ko, she got off to a hot start with back-to-back birdies on the first two holes. She was able to get to three-under for the day before the turn but gave one stroke back with a bogey on the tenth. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to make a run at the top spot and had to settle for a share of second with a final round two-under (70) and four-under for the tournament. (71-68-75-70).

Based on their results, Marchand, Toronto’s Elizabeth Tong and Ottawa’s Grace St-Germain all move on to represent Ontario, in the inter-provincial competition, at the Canadian Women’s Amateur, July 28-31, at the Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

For full final results from the 2015 GAO Investors Group Women’s Amateur, please see the tournament site.