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Lehman moves three shots clear

Tom Lehman keeps reaching low points. And that's good.

Six weeks after one of the most disappointing moments of his career, Lehman has matched the PGA Tour's 36-hole scoring record, carding his best round of the season twice in as many days at the Invensys Classic.

On Thursday, Lehman shot a bogey-free 10-under-par 62 to reach 19-under 125 at a five-round event that also features a Fred Couples sighting and the continued resurgence of John Daly.

Lehman's 36-hole total tied the tour record set by Tiger Woods at the 2000 NEC Invitational.

Meanwhile, Couples can't catch a break. Winless since 1998, he matched his best round of the year Wednesday with a 9-under 63 and shot a 7-under 64 on Thursday but is three shots back at 16-under 127.

Couples played the TPC at the Canyons on Thursday in the event's three-course rotation.

Daly also played the Canyons and shot a 62 to put himself alone in fourth at 14-under 129. A recovering alcoholic, Daly has won in Europe this year but not on the PGA Tour since his 1995 British Open title.

Chris DiMarco birdied his final hole to complete a 10-under 62 at Southern Highlands Golf Club and sneak past Daly into third place at 15-under 128. The cut will be made after Friday's third round.

Lehman picked up where he left off Wednesday, rolling in 10 birdies at Southern Highlands. He opened the event with a 63 at the TPC at Summerlin.

"The expectations were high coming in here," said Lehman, who is winless since January 2000 and has missed three straight cuts. "The clubs feel comfortable in my hands."

Lehman's disappointing season includes a snub from United States Ryder Cup captain Curtis Strange, who instead chose Paul Azinger and Scott Verplank for the 12-man team.

This is Lehman's first appearance since, and he is making the most of it. Through two rounds, he has 19 birdies and no bogeys. He birdied five of the last six holes Thursday.

"I am playing the way I was hoping to play," said Lehman, who is 36th on the money list, six spots from qualifying for the Tour Championship. "To shoot these kinds of scores makes me real happy."

A former Ryder Cup team member, Couples also was bogey-free as he sank seven birdies at the par-71 TPC at the Canyons course.

"I was very confident today after yesterday's putting," said Couples, a former Player of the Year who has not finished in the top 10 in 17 tournaments this season. "Confidence will come for me by putting."

The mercurial Daly had a fantastic round with nine birdies. The big hitter knocked in three in a row on both the front and back nines and birdied all three par-5s on the Canyons course.

"It's my least favorite (of the three courses), but I love it," Daly said. "The golf course sets up perfect for me. It's in great shape and a good course that sets up for my game."

Daly became a folk hero when he won the 1991 PGA Championship as a wild card. Throughout the 1990s, he had problems controlling his drinking and temper and nearly fell off the golf map.

But he has had a resurgence this season, particularly in Europe, where he won the BMW International Open and was third at the Scottish Open and last week's German Masters. This is just his 11th PGA Tour event of the year, but he can sense his popularity rising again.

"Most fans want me to play well," Daly said. "The fans are excited that I am playing well. It feels good to play well for them. It's been a big drought. I relate to them like they relate to me."

Robert Allenby, one of four players on the PGA Tour to win at least four titles over the past two seasons, fired a 64 and is tied with Bob Estes and Australian countryman Craig Parry. The trio is one shot ahead of Rory Sabbatini of South Africa.

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