Dave: , externalMonty will finish top 6 and remind us how good he is

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It's birdie time for Colin Montgomerie though and suddenly the Scot is up to two under and just three off the lead. He couldn't, could he?

An expert up-and-down by Phil Mickelson keeps him level par. But Rory McIlroy is dropping back to two over after missing his par putt on three. It could be worse. He could be Matt Kuchar. The American has just tripled the par-four fourth and he is one over.

So who's staying up late with his this Friday night? If you think you can use the excuse of having to be up in the morning to take the kids to football, cricket, swimming, horse riding etc...then think again. I'm doing the football run and I'm staying right here.

Who will be our halfway leader and what will that score be? Will Phil and Rory slide away?

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Patrick Reed thinks a lot of himself. In March 2014, after winning only his third Tour event, he pronounced himself as one of the world's top-five players.

Bold. But maybe correct.

He is up to 15 in the world in the latest rankings, rising fast and he has been remarkably consistent tee to green so far at Chambers Bay.

He has found 18 of 20 green in regulation so far - 90% success rate and clear of the field.

Cole Hammer, the 15-year-old who was born this century - I know - launches his drive down the first. He is starting on +7 and needs a minor miracle to extend his stay. I'm not sure he'll be too fussed if he doesn't.

Up on the second Patrick Reed knocks in for birdie and he joins Henrik Stenson and Jordan Spieth at -5.

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Henrik Stenson bisects the 13th fairway - it's the widest on the course at 105 yards. Rory McIlroy is wayward with his tee shot on the par-three third but he is at least on the green - it's 50 feet plus for birdie and his attempt does not threaten the hole. A tough eight-footer for par coming up.

Colin Montgomerie showing terrific course management on the short par-four 12th. Rather than taking on the 284-yard hole, he lays up shot and fires a wedge to five feet.

Phil Mickelson is up on the elevated 15th tee looking down towards the green 144 yards away and the Puget Sound water behind it, glistening in the sunlight. It's all rather pleasant. Except Mickelson's ball plugs in the bunker protecting the front edge.

The last men out of the hutch are away. Among them is Rich Berberian Jr. The American was 156th and last after round one following a 13-over 83. Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, who is currently last, will be watching his progress with interest one would imagine.

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Rory McIlroy's birdie attempt on two stays up but par will do. Phil Mickelson knocks in his five-footer but that's two dropped shots in his first five holes and he is back to one over.

Dustin Johnson knocks in his bogey putt on three and we have just two joint leaders. Jordan Spieth is safely in the clubhouse on five under. Henrik Stenson has 15 holes to play.

Dustin Johnson will be dropping at least one. His first shot out of the bunker ends up back in the sand. His third finds the green but he's got half a dozen feet to just go four under.

Back on 14 and Phil Mickelson plays the kind of shot only Phil Mickelson can play. He is only five yards from the flag but his ball balloons about 20 feet in the air before coming to rest short of the hole. He then stumbles back into the bunker. Bogey putt coming up.

Dustin Johnson about a yard from perfect with his tee shot on the third. But rather than kicking down left off the bank, his ball trickles back towards a bunker, gathering pace with each revolution before it comes to rest in the sand.

Phil Mickelson playing scratchy golf on 14, his approach to the green gets caught up between the rough and sand aside the green.

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Phil Mickelson in a spot of bother on 14, in a fairway bunker and he can only wedge out.

The projected cut mark has been brought in to +3. That puts the likes of defending champion Martin Kaymer in trouble. He bogeyed his opening hole and is +3.

BBC Scotland's Tom English: , externalTiger Woods: It's like watching Shakespeare struggling to write a note to the milkman. Uncomfortable viewing.

Dustin Johnson's birdie putt doesn't have the legs so he stays at five under. Phil Mickelson misses another birdie chance on 13.

On the 11th and more magic from Monty who fires right from the fairway and uses the contours to bring his ball to within 15 feet.

Over on three and Graeme McDowell, who is five over par, has a tap-in birdie after his tee shot on the par-three hole scoots round the back of the green, flirts with the bunker and ends up inches from the cup. A staggering shot.

Rory from below the green on one and that's a decent chip to around 15 feet. Birdie chance coming up. And he drains it. An early move by the world number one who gets to one over. Up on the second, Dustin Johnson finds the heart of the green in regulation.

Over on 11 Henrik Stenson knocks in a short par putt to stay five under.

James Richards: , externalMy money is on Stenson for clubhouse leader after round two

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On the 13th Bubba Watson, looking like a tub of raspberry ripple ice cream, fires at the flag. It must have looked good from where he was - the ball slipped no more than a couple of inches past the hole but it just would not stop and rolled to the back of the green, 30 feet by.

"Wow," mutters Bubba as he strides after it. "I must be the only man to hit eight iron into this green (the 13th is a 550-yard par four) and even I can't get it to stop."

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Maybe the bookies know something. Monty tugs his birdie putt before hurriedly knocking in for par. A big opportunity missed.

On the first, Rory McIlroy is out with a three-wood and hacking out of the rough and his ball shoots forward and trundles down to the left of the green. Dustin Johnson just made par from down there and I think Rory would settle for that too.

Phil Mickelson misses his birdie putt on 12 but is safely in for par to stay level. Henrik Stenson also in for par on the 10th to stay five under.

Colin Montgomerie was 500-1 at the start of play yesterday. How good do those odds look at this very moment? The Scot has just nailed a hybrid on the 10th to six feet. An opening birdie?