KJ Choi opens two shot advantage

K.J. Choi holed out from the fairway on the 350-yard par-four seventh for eagle on Friday on his way to claiming a two-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the Barclays Classic.

Choi, who took advantage of rain-softened conditions at Westchester Country Club with an opening 64, carded a 66 to stand at 12-under-par 130 after 36 holes in the opening event of the inaugural, season-ending FedExCup playoff series.

In second place behind the 37-year-old South Korean was 2001 U.S. PGA champion Rich Beem. The American posted a 68 in warm, muggy conditions in the New York City suburb.

Two shots further back at 134 were overnight leader Rory Sabbatini of South Africa, 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia and American Steve Stricker.

Sabbatini, who led by one stroke after a first-round 63, shot even-par 71. Ogilvy fired a 66 and Stricker scored his second successive 67 to stand eight under par.

Choi, who won The Memorial tournament in June and the AT&T National a month later, began on the 10th hole with a birdie and parred the rest of the back nine before making his charge.

He chipped in from 45 feet to birdie the hole, sank a four-footer for birdie at the third and holed out with a sand wedge from 94 yards at the seventh for an eagle-two.

"I'm very happy with how I played," said Choi, ranked 11th in the world. "I thought two under par every day would be a good score. Now that I'm 12 under I'm very happy to be in this position.

"The rain definitely affected the golf course," he said about downpours earlier in the week that made the greens more receptive.

"I'm hearing it's going to be very hot over the weekend. If the greens get firmer it will be harder for the players."

Ernie Els of South Africa and Spaniard Sergio Garcia, both twice winners at Westchester, were among a large group tied at 136 that also included two times U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen and Australian Adam Scott.

The cut was set at even-par 140, with 75 players from the 138-man field advancing to weekend play.

Among those missing the cut was defending champion Vijay Singh, a three-times winner at Westchester, who followed his opening 75 with a 71 for a four-over total of 146.

In addition to the $7 million tournament purse and $1.26 million top prize, players are competing for points in the season-ending series comprised of four events in four weeks.

The leading 120 on the FedExCup points list after this tournament advance to next week's Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston before 70 players qualify for the September 6-9 BMW Championship in Chicago.

The playoff series ends with the top 30 at the September 13-16 Tour Championship in Atlanta, where a $10 million bonus in deferred compensation will go to the overall points champion.