Singh takes over lead with 65

Vijay Singh misses the pressure of winning -- something he hasn't done on the PGA Tour in nearly two years.

``I haven't felt that -- I want to be right in there to feel that,'' Singh said Friday after shooting a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 to take a two-stroke lead over Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke in the Shell Houston Open.

``I'm playing well enough to be in contention.''

Singh had a 12-under 132 total as he chases his first PGA Tour victory since the 2000 Masters. He did win twice last year, taking consecutive European tour events in Asia.

Following an opening 67 at the TPC at The Woodlands, just north of Houston, Singh started the day two shots back of first-round leader Jim Carter. Singh birdied the first and fifth holes, then strung consecutive birdies at 8, 9 and 10.

``I kept my ball in play and in control and I took the chance when I could,'' he said. ``I kept my ground going.''

His tee shot at the par-3, 175-yard 16th wound up in the bunker to the left and behind the hole, but Singh's shot out of the sand from 54 feet away found the cup, breaking a tie with Clarke for the lead. Singh also finished with a flourish, rolling in a 12-footer at No. 18 for his final birdie.

``It was quite a good distance,'' he said of his chip at the 16th. ``I just tried to get close to the hole and it went in.

``Just one of those things.''

Singh, a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour, failed to win a tour last year for the first time in five years. He had a tour-best 14 top-10 finishes and was No. 4 on the money list with $3.4 million.

Clarke matched Singh's 65, and J.P. Hayes (68) was three strokes back at 9 under.

Australian Geoff Ogilvy (65) and Brandt Jobe (66) were four strokes back, and Scott Verplank, Jay Haas and Chris Riley shot 70s for 7-under 137 totals. Greg Norman (68) and first-round leader Jim Carter (73) were another shot back.

Clarke had eight birdies -- including the final two holes -- and a single bogey.

``I kept hitting it to 10, 15 feet, kept giving myself chances everywhere,'' Clarke said.

Hays, from El Paso, made the cut for only the third time in eight outings this year. He started Friday with one birdie and 10 pars, then birdied Nos. 12, 13 and 15 in his bogey-free 68.

Ogilvy, in his second year on the U.S. tour, has finished no better than a tie for 31st this season and made the cut this weekend for only the fourth time in eight tries in 2002.

Starting on the back nine Friday, he had three birdies, then after making the turn, made an eagle at the par-5 520-yard first hole. His lone bogey came at No. 3, but he bounced back to birdie three of the final five holes.

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