JACKSON, Miss. – John Rollins took a two-stroke lead Saturday in the Sanderson Farms Championship, birdieing two of the final five holes for a 4-under 68.

Tied with David Toms for the second-round lead, Rollins had a three-round total of 14-under 202. He won the last of his three PGA Tour titles in 2009.

“Today was a little bit more of a grind than the last couple of days,” Rollins said. “I didn’t drive it quite as well today, so I was playing out of the rough, which on this golf course is not fun. But I made some key putts to keep the round going and just grinded out a 4-under par to keep myself in position.”

William McGirt was second after a 66, matching the best round of the day in sunny, calm conditions.

Jason Bohn and Lucas Glover were third at 11 under. Bohn also shot 66, and Glover had a 67.

“If we have weather similar to what we had today, there’s definitely a 6-, 7-, 8-under par out there, maybe even lower than that,” Bohn said. “Anybody that’s within six shots of the lead has a chance to win.

Toms and Canada’s Nick Taylor were 10 under. Toms had a 72, and Taylor shot 70. After two bogey-free rounds, Toms bogeyed Nos. 4-6. He birdied Nos. 7, 10 and 18, holing a 31-footer on the final hole.

“At least I didn’t shoot myself out of the tournament,” said Toms, a 13-time PGA Tour winner.

The 39-year-old Rollins has limited tour status as a past champion after losing his card last season and failing to regain it in the four-event Web.com Tour Finals.

He said a driving-range tip from his caddie Wednesday helped him dial it back on the tee box, and the result was much more consistent play with his driver.

“A lot can change in one week,” Rollins said. “But the big thing is I can’t get ahead of myself. I can’t start thinking about where I am and what’s going on, and status and all this sort of stuff. I’ve just got to play golf, and that’s what we’re going to try to do and try to enjoy it.”

Rollins has at least a share of the 54-hole lead for the sixth time in his career. After failing to win the first four times, he held on in the last in the 2009 Barracuda Championship in Reno, Nevada.

Graeme McDowell occupe toujours la tête du Tournoi des Champions HSBC à l’issue de la troisième ronde disputée samedi sur les allées du Sheshan International Golf Club à Shanghai, en Chine.

McDowell, qui a remis une carte de 71, soit un sous le par, détient maintenant un coup d’avance sur Hiroshi Iwata, qui suit au deuxième échelon à -10.

Martin Kaymer et Bubba Watson, pour leur part, se partagent le troisième rang à -9, un coup devant Tim Clark et Rickie Fowler.

Thorbjorn Olesen et Ian Poulter, de leur côté, sont à égalité au septième échelon à -7, devant Jonas Blixt.

Rappelons que le Canadien Graham DeLaet a dû déclarer forfait en raison d’une blessure au cou après avoir joué 45 sur le neuf d’aller, jeudi.

SHANGHAI — The momentum at the HSBC Champions belongs to U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer and Masters champion Bubba Watson.

The lead still belongs to Graeme McDowell.

And the mystery is Hiroshi Iwata, the journeyman from Japan and a surprise guest among major champions atop the leaderboard Saturday in the final World Golf Championship of the year.

McDowell ducked in from the cold, gray afternoon at Sheshan International and wrapped his hand around a warm cup of coffee. He did not look the least bit worried after watching a four-shot lead dwindle to one over the final eight holes.

“Let’s be honest. Yes, I had a three-shot lead overnight and it’s only one now,” McDowell said after his 1-under 71. “But I’ll take this position any week that you offer it to me – a one-shot lead going into the last round on a golf course that I enjoy. Looking forward to the opportunity tomorrow.”

Even so, he was under no illusions of the test that awaited him Sunday.

McDowell was at 11-under 205, one shot ahead of Iwata, who made a long, curling birdie putt on the par-5 18th for a 68, and two shots ahead of Kaymer and Watson.

McDowell knows all about the history of Kaymer at Sheshan International, how the German made nine birdies over the last 12 holes to win the HSBC Champions in 2011. Kaymer zoomed into contention Saturday with seven birdies in a round of 66 and will play in the last group.

As for Watson? McDowell played alongside him in the third round and saw plenty.

“Bubba was awfully impressive today – all day,” McDowell said. “The mistake he made on 10 was very uncharacteristic, and then missed a short one on 12. But the rest of his golf was incredible.”

Watson hit a long iron for his second shot at the par-5 eighth that nearly went in for an albatross, only to miss the 4-foot eagle attempt. His big gaffe was a wedge on the 10th that caught a plugged lie in the bunker, followed by a three-putt from 40 feet for double bogey. He three-putted the 17th late in the round. But he also ran off four birdies over the last five holes for a 69 and joined Kaymer at 9-under 207.

“A couple three-putts today and a double bogey. That’s sad,” Watson said. “But the birdies down the stretch really helped out.”

And what to make of Iwata?

McDowell had never heard of him until Saturday. He had never seen him until looking at one swing as Iwata played in the group ahead.

“It seems that Japan is kind of in a purple patch producing great young players,” McDowell said. “I saw him make one swing today – looked like a beautiful golf swing. Looking forward to seeing what it’s all about tomorrow, and he seems like a nice kid. But genuinely, I’ve never heard of him.”

That much is clear – and can be expected.

For one thing, this “nice kid” is a 33-year-old in his 10th year on the Japan Golf Tour. And perhaps the reason Iwata is not as well known as the other Japanese players is that he has only one victory – and that was two months ago in the Fujisankei Classic.

But he held up beautifully against a world-class field in the HSBC Champions, at least through 54 holes.

“Maybe tomorrow coming up the last few holes, I might get a little bit nervous, but so far I’m calm,” Iwata said. “So I think I’m doing OK.”

McDowell really didn’t do anything wrong to lose so much of the four-shot lead. He tried to miss in the right spot on the par-5 14th hole and pulled his 3-wood into a bad spot, preventing him from a simple up-and-down. He flew a wedge way too far on the short 16th – where Watson and Ian Poulter both made birdie – and had to settle for yet another par. It’s just that pars weren’t enough in the dynamic closing stretch at Sheshan International, and they might not be enough on Sunday.

This is more than a four-man race.

Rickie Fowler recovered from a double bogey in the water on No. 9 for a 69. He was only three behind, along with Tim Clark of South Africa, who also had a 69. Poulter had a cold putter and a 72 and was four shots behind with Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, who had a 69.

“I felt maybe a tiny bit negative coming in,” McDowell said. “But when I went back and sort of thought through my round, you know, it was difficult. … I wouldn’t say I felt loose coming in, but I also knew it wasn’t something I had to start protecting. I hit a lot of good putts today that didn’t go in, and that’s probably the main difference between shooting 1 under and 3 or 4 under today.”

JACKSON, Miss. — Canada’s Nick Taylor continued his strong play into day two of the Sanderson Farms Championship, carding a 3-under par 69 to follow up his 67 from Rd. 1.

The 26-year-old Abbotsford, B.C. native started out hot, making five birdies in his first seven holes, but then cooled down with bogeys on 17 and 2.  He finished the day in solo third place.

The former Team Canada member nearly carded an eagle on the short par-4 15th hole.

David Toms and John Rollins each shot 6-under 66 on Friday to share the second-round lead.

The 47-year-old Toms – a 13-time PGA Tour winner – was bogey-free through the first two rounds. He hasn’t won since 2011.

Rollins, the 2002 Canadian Open champion,  had eight birdies and two bogeys at the Country Club of Jackson. He won the last of his three tour titles in 2009 and finished 177th on the money list last season.

Toms and Rollins were at 10-under 134.

John Rollins (Michael Cohen/ Getty Images)

David Hearn (-3, T36) and Adam Hadwin (-2, T52) couldn’t capitalize on their successful opening rounds, but both players remain within the cut line with even round scores of 72.

Calgary’s Roger Sloan, who had a hole-in-one in the opening-round, struggled this week in Mississippi.  The Calgary native and PGA Tour rookie shot a three-over par 75 Friday and will miss his second cut of the season.

Play was suspended because of darkness with 15 players unable to finish. First-round leader Sebastian Cappelen was 3 over for the round and 4 under overall with two holes left.

SHANGHAI, China — The HSBC Champions has a familiar look to Graeme McDowell, with a few exceptions.

He goes into the weekend at Sheshan International in contention for a World Golf Championship, with Ian Poulter and a big-hitting American alongside. Only, now, the American is Masters champion Bubba Watson – not Dustin Johnson, who overpowered the course on his way to victory last year.

And at least this time, McDowell has the lead.

McDowell leaned on a hot putter to carry him to another 5-under 67 on Friday. That gave him a three-shot lead over Poulter, with Watson and Hiroshi Iwata of Japan right behind.

Tournament organizers might be missing the presence of Johnson, the defending champion who is on a “voluntary leave” for what he described as personal challenges. Just don’t count McDowell among them, especially not the way Johnson set the tournament record at 24-under 264.

“He looked unbeatable last year the way he played this golf course,” McDowell said. “But we’ve got a fairly decent replacement in Bubba, who in his own way has got the same kind of talents as Dustin, the way he drives it and the short game. In many ways, it’s a very similar scenario _ myself and Poults against the long-hitting American.”

McDowell saved par when he had to and strung together back-to-back birdies early and late in his round to reach 10-under 134.

Poulter and Watson showed that a deficit can be made up quickly, particularly on the dynamic finishing holes at Sheshan International.

Watson was seven shots behind when he made birdie on the par-5 14th, and he was just getting warmed up. He blasted a drive just through the end of the fairway on the 487-yard 15th hole and hit gap wedge to 8 feet for birdie on the 15th. He chipped in twice for birdie on the next two holes, and had a simple up-and-down on the par-5 18th to end his round of 67 with five straight birdies.

“Hit some good shots but couldn’t make some putts. Hit some bad shots and made some putts,” Watson said. “It was a great last five holes.”

Poulter was five shots out of the lead when he birdied four of the last five holes – he made par on the par-3 17th – for a 67 that put him three shots back.

“Probably the best I’ve played all year, which is very exciting,” Poulter said. “It was a little frustrating the first 13 holes that I was missing chances, but four birdies in the last five holes … chances started to go in at the end and I’m very happy.”

Rickie Fowler opened with 14 straight pars, added a few birdies and shot 70 to reach 5-under 139, along with Tim Clark (70), Jonas Blixt (68) and Kevin Na (68).

McDowell is not one to complain about a pair of 67s on any golf course, though they were different. He only missed one fairway in the opening round, which set up plenty of birdie chances. He had to scramble more on Friday, though at least he could rely on his putter.

“I have to improve tee-to-green to have a chance on Sunday,” McDowell said. “I’m putting great _ I love these greens. I’ve just got to keep doing it. I have to go out there tomorrow and not think about making mistakes. Just have to keep the pedal down, execute my game plan, and give myself a chance to win on the back nine on Sunday.”

Adam Scott might have cost himself a chance with a wild round.

The Australian opened with four birdies through seven holes to get within two shots of McDowell. A poor tee shot changed everything. He pulled his drive into a water hazard on the 603-yard eighth hole and had to drop at one of the forward tees. Trying to reach the green in two, he came up just short of the creek in front of the green, and then his pitch from gnarly rough didn’t quite reach the green and rolled into the hazard next to a large rock.

Scott decided to take a penalty drop from the other side of the creek and made a quadruple-bogey 9, wiping out those four birdies. He followed with an approach into the water on the ninth for a double bogey, and made eagle on the back nine to salvage a 72. He still was eight shots behind.

Poulter liked his position much better.

“We’ve got 36 holes to go. You’ve got 36 potential birdies,” he said. “So three shots is pretty close.”

SHANGHAI – Patrick Reed hasn’t received this much attention since he pressed his finger to his lips in Scotland to quiet the Ryder Cup crowd. This time it was his own mouth that got the 24-year-old American into trouble when he berated himself with swearing and a gay slur.

Reed apologized on Friday for his outburst at the HSBC Champions, which was captured on live television during the opening round of a World Golf Championship.

“Yesterday, I made a stupid error,” Reed said. “Sorry for definitely the words that I said and everything that went on. Never should have happened. Unfortunately, it happened to me and all I can do is just learn from it and move on, hopefully continue playing well and keep giving fans something to watch.”

He was on his 10th hole (No. 1) at Sheshan International in the opening round when he missed a 5-foot putt. Microphones caught him using the F-word twice and capping it off with another F-word – the gay slur – in a fit of rage over his three-putt bogey.

Golf Channel analyst Frank Nobilo immediately apologized to viewers. Reed didn’t even remember what he said until he was informed after the round, and the video clip began making its way across the Internet. Among those he sought out for advice was Bubba Watson, of all people.

Microphones also caught Watson using the F-word in the second round of the U.S. PGA Championship in August.

“He came to me last night and said that, `Hey, I did something bad,'” Watson said. “He showed me the clip. I said, `Yeah, that’s not good.’ That’s all I could say. … It’s sad it comes out, but just like I said before in my own personal problems, that’s how you learn from it. That’s how you become a better man, and that’s what I told him. `Your daughter is not old enough yet, but when your daughter gets older, you don’t want to speak out like that.’ And it’s the same thing with me.”

It was the second time in two weeks that a public figure in golf was swept up in emotion and wound up using offensive terms. Former PGA of America president Ted Bishop directed his “Lil Girl” comment at Ian Poulter.

“I’ve done it in the past. It’s difficult, isn’t it?” Poulter said. “The microphone is there, live TV, its broadcast around the world. We all make mistakes.”

Reed huddled with his handlers for about five minutes after his 73 on Friday before facing the media, answering every question with a mea culpa.

“It’s something not to be proud of, and something that you definitely can’t have happen,” Reed said. “Unfortunately, it got the best of me yesterday, and all I can do is not let it happen again.”

Players who use foul language are usually fined, although the PGA Tour does not disclose its disciplinary action. Graeme McDowell said he has received a text message from his mother when microphones catch him swearing.

“My mom is under some illusion that I don’t swear,” he said. “Like I say, golf is a four-letter word. It’s a frustrating sport. Yes, we use language that we shouldn’t on national television, but that’s the same in any sport.”

Reed’s outburst was more about the words, especially the gay slur, than the volume. He was playing with McDowell and Billy Horschel, and neither of them even heard it. Reed said it as he walked briskly to the hole after missing the short putt.

It happened about 1 p.m. on Thursday in China. McDowell didn’t know about it until he was watching the news Friday morning.

“Yes, he shouldn’t have said it. But is he unfairly dragged across the coals? Who knows? You could argue both sides of the story,” McDowell said. “I don’t have an opinion on it. Guys say things all the time out here.”

Reed blamed his choice of words on his passion, and he is not short on that. He first drew attention to himself at another World Golf Championship at Doral where he said he belonged among the top five players in the world after winning.

“The passion I have for the game is never going to change,” Reed said. “And the drive to play well and win is never going to change. It’s just if I’m ever going to get upset at myself, especially after a Ryder Cup and at the level of golf I’m playing nowadays, you can’t have outbursts. Unfortunately, I did, and happened to be on camera.”

The PGA Tour issued a statement that said its policy for conduct unbecoming a professional “prohibits the use of obscene language on the golf course.” The tour added it would handle the matter internally.

JACKSON, Miss.  — Sebastian Cappelen narrowly missed earning his PGA Tour card last season and needed a sponsor exemption to make the field in the Sanderson Farms Championship.

The 24-year-old from Denmark is making the most of his opportunity.

Cappelen shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday in his first PGA Tour round to take the lead at the Country Club of Jackson. He opened with a bogey before making eight birdies to take a two-shot lead over Robert Streb, Scott Pinckney and Canada’s Nick Taylor.

“I couldn’t be happier, to be honest,” Cappelen said. “Obviously, I came here just trying to get a new experience and get a feel of how it feels like to play on the real tour, and I had a great time out there today. Hit a lot of good shots.”

Cappelen was an All-American in college at Arkansas. He won the Air Capital Classic in June on the Web.com Tour.

He was in good position to earn his PGA Tour card, but a poor performance in the final regular-season Web.com Tour event dropped him to 26th place on the money list – one spot shy of the top 25 finish needed to make the PGA Tour.

“I mean, obviously, it’s a heartbreaker being so close and then not getting it,” Cappelen said. “So getting a chance here where I felt like I should been, it’s everything. I couldn’t thank the sponsors here more for what they’ve done.”

Cappelen said he had some nerves before the round, but the early bogey was a sobering moment.

“That’s usually how it is for me when I have a good round,” Cappelen said. “I usually start with a bogey on the first hole, and then just kind of like, `OK, I’ve got to get going.'”

Sebastian Cappelen (Getty Images)

Play was suspended because of darkness with 15 players unable to finish.

The tournament is being played at the 7,354-yard Country Club of Jackson, a course about 10 miles south of Annandale Country Club, where the tournament was held for 19 years.

Overnight rain made for a soft course early, but players said it firmed up as the day progressed.

There were 13 players within three shots of the lead including Canadian Nick Taylor, who finished the day in a three-way tie for second place. The Abbotsford, B.C. native and former Team Canada member recorded five birdies en route to a 5-under 67.

“I’m definitely happy with it (his round),” said Taylor. ” It was playing cold this morning, playing long.  Some of the par‑5s weren’t as reachable, but I took advantage of those luckily.  I was putting really well and gave myself a chance to make birdies, so I’m happy with that.”

Fellow Canadians David Hearn and Adam Hadwin also had solid first rounds.

Hearn carded a 3-under 69 after making a bogey on his final hole of the day, while Hadwin finished at -2 after an adventurous round that included four birdies and a double bogey on the back nine.

Roger Sloan aced the fourth hole, a 181-yard par 3, but struggled to carry his momentum over to the back nine.  The 27-year-old had two double bogeys on the day and was 2-over par when play was suspended.

SHANGHAI — Graeme McDowell typically looks at the leaderboard more often at the start of a tournament. It gives him a sense of how the course is playing and what score he might need to contend at the finish.

There was no need to look Thursday in the HSBC Champions.

McDowell noticed ankle-deep rough at Sheshan International and fairways not as wide as usual. He felt firm greens and saw trees jostling in stiff wind. More than anything, he kept looking at all the birdies that filled his scorecard.

McDowell already had seven birdies when he finished his 12th hole, and a couple of loose mistakes at the end of the opening round didn’t diminish his satisfaction. He opened with a 5-under 67 on a tough day in Shanghai to build a two-shot lead.

“No, I didn’t need a leaderboard to let me know that 7 under through 12 is fairly strong,” McDowell said. “Gauging what’s a good score can be a good thing maybe when you’re not going well. But it might not be a great thing if you’re taking it deep and the rest of them are 3-under par and you’re thinking, `Whoa, this is a very good score.'”

That’s not what slowed him. Trouble was lurking everywhere, and not even McDowell was immune.

Rickie Fowler also started quickly with three birdies in his opening five holes, only to spend the rest of the round trading birdies with bogeys. He wound up with a 69, along with U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer, Brandt Snedeker, Chris Kirk, Tim Clark and Tommy Fleetwood.

Strong wind added to the demanding conditions.

Jordan Spieth began his new PGA Tour season with two straight bogeys and had to save par with a long bunker shot on his third hole. He scratched his way back and wound up in a large group at 70 that featured Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Adam Scott and Henrik Stenson, who made bogey from the bunker on his final hole.

It didn’t take much for players to stumble. FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel made two double bogeys, only one birdie and shot an 80.

“This is a top event – some of the best players in the world, probably the best field you’re going to get in Asia, and you don’t want it to be a pushover,” Fowler said. “You want a good, solid test. And it’s showing that.”

Only 27 players in the 78-man field broke par, compared with 37 players under par on the first day last year when the winning score was 24-under 264. McDowell said he wouldn’t be surprised to see something around 10 or 12 under win, even if the wind lets up.

McDowell is the only player this year to finish in the top 10 at all the World Golf Championships, and while he hasn’t captured a WGC title, Sheshan International would seem to favor him more than the others. Thursday was his 10th consecutive round in the 60s on this course.

“A big key to this golf course is driving the ball well. I drove it very well today,” McDowell said.

The exception was on the 603-yard eighth hole, playing with the wind. McDowell hit a 3-wood to avoid the bunker on the right side of the fairway, and he put it in the deep grass for the first time all day. He could only manage an 8-iron out of the rough and still had 215 yards over the creek fronting the green. McDowell pulled that left of the green and failed to get up and down.

No complaints. He did not forget the 20-foot birdie putt he made on No. 14, or the 45-foot putt he holed across the green at the 17th, or the 25-foot birdie on No. 3. And then there was his drive on the 288-yard 16th, a perfect yardage to go with a perfect swing that gave him a two-putt from 15 feet for birdie.

“There were some tricky holes on the front nine,” McDowell said. “I made a couple of putts I should have in the first 12 holes, and then I made a couple of bogeys that I shouldn’t have coming in. All in all, I think 5 under was a fair representation of my round.”

Canada’s Graham DeLaet had to withdraw after a 45 on nine holes because of a neck injury. The Canadian also withdrew from Malaysia last week with a sore neck.

SHANGHAI – As far as caddies are concerned, this might as well be the Adam Scott sweepstakes.

Scott is in the market for a new caddie after Steve Williams headed off into semi-retirement. There figured to be a long line of candidates to work for the former Masters champion, who is No. 2 in the world and regarded as one of the most congenial players in golf.

He just never expected so many – and from so many walks of life.

“There were some shockers, like random ones – some guy in Florida who lives at home and looks after his mom,” Scott said Tuesday in downtown Shanghai after taking part in a promotion to celebrate the 10th edition of the HSBC Champions. “I guess he figured it would be a good job.”

For a caddie, there are not many better jobs in golf.

Scott has earned about $18 million in PGA Tour earnings alone over the last five years, and he has become a regular contender in the majors. He had Tony Navarro, who previously worked for Greg Norman, and then picked up Williams after his split with Tiger Woods.

“The way I see it, you cannot replace a Steve Williams,” Scott said. “I cannot go out and look for the next Steve Williams. I don’t think that’s possible. I need to go out and find what is going to work for me at this stage in my career, to complement all the things I am doing now, just like I did when I hired Steve.”

Scott has time to decide. He has two events in Australia after the HSBC Champions, and he doesn’t plan to start his 2015 season until the Honda Classic. He used Swiss neighbor Eddie Gardino in Japan; Gardino caddied for Angel Cabrera in his 2007 U.S. Open win at Oakmont. Scott is using David Clark, who currently works for Cameron Tringale, at the HSBC Champions.

“I need to see a few personalities, see what fits best with me,” Scott said. “I had such a strong one (personality) for so long.”

As for other possibilities? Speculation has been running rampant among the caddies. Scott said he has received more than 100 inquiries, and that he has responded to most of them – except for the guy in Florida.

“It’s good to know people would want to work with me,” Scott said. “If the phone didn’t get a message, I’d be a little worried what they all think of me. Like us golfers, the caddies are very aspirational as well. The way I’ve talked about what I want to achieve, some of the guys believe they can help me to do that and want to do the same.”