Luke Donald
Graeme McDowell remains five shots off the pace at The Heritage, signing for a round of 69 after carding four birdies on Friday, with bogeys on the 5th and 8th for a two under par finish.
Luke Donald moved a step closer to the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking Friday, shooting a 65 to take a one-stroke lead halfway through The Heritage.
Donald is the world's third-ranked golfer behind top-rated Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood. However, Donald would jump to the top with a win at Harbour Town Golf Links, no matter how Westwood fares this weekend at the Indonesian Masters.
Kaymer is not playing this week.
Donald, 33, hasn't let talk of No. 1 distract him through two rounds, finishing at 10-under 132 for a one-shot lead over first-round leader Garrett Willis (69).
Masters runner-up Jason Day (65), defending champion Jim Furyk (66),Camilo Villegas (68) and Chad Campbell (69) were another stroke behind at 8 under.
Donald was the highest ranked of seven players in the world's top 20 competing at what could be the last Heritage. The PGA TOUR fixture is seeking a title sponsor, something TOUR and event officials say is essential to maintaining its place on the schedule for 2012.
Donald could give the Heritage the boost it needs if he can claim No. 1.
"I guess it's always in the back of your mind," the Englishman said. "It's hard to get away from knowing that with Twitter and Facebook and the media and everything, you obviously know what's at stake."
Donald, who won the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in February, thinks he can focus on what got him to this point -- steady, unflappable golf.
"I can control where I hit the golf ball, and hopefully, I'll give myself a good shot at it come Sunday," he said.
The Englishman began the round three shots behind Willis and quickly moved in front with five birdies on the front nine. After a bogey on the 10th hole, Donald moved in front again a hole later with a 20-foot birdie putt from the fringe. An 8-footer on the par-5 15th brought his final birdie and he parred in to break 70 for the eighth time in his last nine rounds in the event.
"The last couple of years, I've come here playing reasonably well, where I've had control of the golf ball, which is very key at this place," Donald said.
Donald doesn't want to make too much of the rankings. They're a snapshot of how consistently you've performed over a two-year period, he says. But with his Accenture Match Play Championship win, defeating Kaymer in the final, and finishing fourth in the Masters, does Donald feel like the world's best player?
"Not yet," he said, smiling.
Donald has several capable players close on his tail. Willis closed with a birdie to draw within a stroke, while Furyk continued his strong play at Harbour Town with a bogey-free outing.
"It seems like when I play well, I play really well here," Furyk said. "And I think it's a little bit of testament to the golf course. I really like it here."
U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, ranked fifth in the world, was five shots behind after a 69. No. 10 Matt Kuchar shot a 72 to fall into a tie for 43rd, eight shots in back of Donald.
Ernie Els, 15th in the rankings, missed the cut with rounds of 75 and 78, his worst performance in 12 career trips to the Heritage. Els switched to a belly putter this week and struggled on the greens with 59 putts. He also failed to make a birdie Friday.
Daniel Summerhays had the 20th hole-in-one at Harbour Town, using an 8-iron at No. 17. The ace followed Summerhays' double-bogey 6 on the par-4 16th
Among those missing the cut were five-time Heritage champion Davis Love III and rising 22-year-old star Rickie Fowler.
John Daly made his second cut in seven events -- and first since January -- as he finished even-par 142.
Rocco Mediate and Jesper Parnevik withdrew before their second-round tee times.
