Young Australian Jason Day is back in business after an injury-interrupted rookie season on the US PGA Tour.
"I played great at the start of the year and then hurt my back and it took me about a month of rehab to get back into it," Day said after shooting five-under-par 66 to trail second round leader Tim Clark by eight strokes at the Deutsche Bank Championship today.
"I missed some big tournaments and right now I'm just trying to secure my card and go home for the Australian events."
Day finished sixth at Pebble Beach in February, and then equal eighth at Houston in April, shortly before injuring his back.
He has not quite fired on all cylinders since, 127th on the money list, but a good finish this week can go a long way towards ensuring he finishes the season in the top 125 on the money list and keeps his card for next year.
"I played great today," continued the 20-year-old Queenslander, who has publicly proclaimed that he wants to be as good as Tiger Woods.
"I put myself on the right side of the hole, gave myself a lot of opportunities and capitalised on some of the putts, although I still left some out there."
Meanwhile, Clark flirted with golf's magical score. After a birdie at his 16th hole, the South African needed only one more birdie to become just the fourth player to shoot 59 on the US PGA Tour, but it wasn't to be as he bogeyed the final two holes instead.
However, he still posted an impressive 62 to take the halfway lead at 14-under-par 128 at the Boston TPC, one stroke ahead of Canadian Mike Weir (68).
Clark, who teed off at the 10th hole, gathered six birdies in his first 10 holes, before making eagles at the par-five second and par-four fourth.
He added another birdie at the par-five seventh, but a poor three-iron that missed the green right led to a bogey at the par-three eighth, ruining any chance of a 59.
"I felt good all day and just kept making birdie after birdie after birdie and then, on my back nine, a couple of eagles really boosted the round," said Clark, 32, who has never won on the US Tour, although he has three European Tour victories.
"For a while, there was certainly a chance of 59. Although I had 59 on my mind once I made that (second eagle), it didn't affect my golf.
"At the start of the day I just wanted to make the cut to make sure I got into next week. I got off to a good start and it snowballed from there.
"I'm disappointed about the 59, but I'm certainly not disappointed (about leading)."
Meanwhile, nine of the 12 Australians made the cut, with Nick O'Hern best placed, seven strokes off the pace, while Stuart Appleby joined Day eight behind.
