Furyk eagles to hold lead

Caddie Mike “Fluff” Cowan picked the club and fixed the ballmark. Jim Furyk took care of the rest.

The 2003 U.S. Open champion holed out from 153 yards for an eagle 2 on the eighth hole – his 17th Friday – and finished with a par for a 2-under 69 and a one-stroke lead over Brian Gay after the second round of the Barclays Classic in Harrison, N.Y.

“I was between 9-iron and 8-iron,” Furyk said. “I wanted to hit the 9, but my caddie talked me out of it. After he told me what he thought the wind was doing and described the shot, I thought he was right.”

The nine-time PGA Tour winner had an 8-under 134 total on the hilly, tree-lined Westchester Country Club course. He took a three-stroke lead into his morning round after opening with a 65 Thursday afternoon.

Gay birdied three of the last five holes for a 66.

Padraig Harrington (65), Len Mattiace (65), Kenny Perry (68), John Senden (67) and Hidemichi Tanaka (68) were tied for third at 6 under.

Kevin Sutherland (68) was four strokes back at 4 under, and Vijay Singh (71) and Tom Pernice Jr. (69) were 3 under. Singh was in a better mood after criticizing tour officials for failing to enforce slow-play rules.

Winless in 38 events since the 2003 Buick Open, Furyk tied for second in consecutive starts earlier this year – including a playoff loss to Singh.

Corey Pavin shot a 64 – the best round of the day – after opening with a 77, moving him from a tie for 124th into a share of 18th at 1 under.

U.S. Amateur champion Ryan Moore made the cut by a stroke in his pro debut. The former UNLV player was 3 over after a 74.

Champions Tour

Leonard Thompson birdied four of the first five holes en route to a first-round 66 during the Champions Tour’s Bank of America Championship at the par-72, 6,728-yard Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, Mass., grabbing a one-stroke lead over Tom McKnight, Mark McNulty, Walter Hall and John Harris.