• The Colonial, Round Two

Toms surges on at Colonial

David Toms acknowledges the crowd after making a putt © Getty Images

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David Toms tightened his grip on the Crowne Plaza Invitational, overcoming a lengthy rain delay to move to 16-under after two rounds.

Toms proved the Colonial Country Club was to his liking with a 62 on Thursday and the veteran proved that was no one-off as he recorded a second round of 62 to move seven shots clear of his nearest rivals.

He proved the disappointment of losing the Players Championship in a play-off the previous week had been removed from his system with a birdie blitz.

Toms drained a string of putts and his iron play was exemplary, hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation, to move to 16-under par.

Toms has been plagued by injuries for a number of years, but is heading back to full fitness and seems to be reaping the benefits.

"I still have those days where my hip hurts, my back hurt, my shoulder hurts. But good golf usually helps that. Just to focus and be excited," he said."There is a lot of times when you are hurting. But if you are excited to be at the golf course, and about your round, a lot of that, you get passed it.

"You know, the West Coast was tough for me. It was cold out there and wet and my body didn't feel good, and I didn't play very well.

"So I knew if I stayed patient, it would get hot, and maybe I would get hot. It's been good the last month or so. I've played some really solid rounds. I still need to put those four rounds together and get over the hump again

"Today, from really from the get go, I drove it well, set myself up all day, hit a lot of good iron shots. I had a lot of looks. I don't know how many greens I hit today but it was a lot. It was a lot less stress today as far as, you know, having to battle on it there. It was just good golf all day long. Even when the conditions were tough I felt like I was in control. I just played a lot better today than I did yesterday."

Charlie Wi and Steven Bowditch completed their rounds before the rains came and are giving chase to Toms at nine-under following rounds of 67 and 64 respectively. Mark Wilson and John Senden make up the four-way chasing pack at nine-under

There was a late finish for many, with Rickie Fowler one of those to come home late and he finished at eight-under after 36 holes.

Sergio Garcia's chance of mounting a challenge for the title and with it his hope of breaking back into the world's top 50 ahead of the US Open were dashed following a disappointing effort on Friday. The Spaniard looked well placed to strike after crafting an opening round of 66 but he carded a 73 on Friday to drop to one-under for 36 holes.

Garcia started with a bogey and it set the trend for a disappointing day as two birdies failed to mask a card that contained five bogeys.

Kevin Na, he of the famous 12-over on one hole at the Valero Texas Open, was in fine form at Colonial as he shot a 65 to move up to six-under.

Rory Sabatini was a big mover on Friday, as a round of 64 took him to eight-under for the championship.

Quail Hollow victor Lucas Glover could well contend again as he hit seven birdies in a superb round of 64 to move up to five-under at the halfway mark.

Defending Colonial champion Zach Johnson added a 69 to his opening 68 to move to three-under.

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