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Five share second-round British Open lead

GULLANE, Scotland, July 19 (UPI) -- Taking advantage of soft conditions, Ernie Els and Colin Montgomerie both approached scoring records Friday at the British Open, but Tiger Woods strengthened his chance for an unprecedented Grand Slam on a rainy day at Muirfield Golf Links.

While Els threatened the nine-hole Open scoring mark and Montgomerie challenged the best round in tournament history, Woods stayed in contention with a 3-under-par 68 that put him at 4-under 138.

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Despite lipping out two more birdie putts on the back nine, Woods is just two strokes off the lead held by Els, Shigeki Maruyama of Japan, Irishman Padraig Harrington, Duffy Waldorf and Bob Tway.

"I feel very comfortable," said Woods, golf's incomparable star who lipped out three birdie putts Thursday. "That's what I'm going to take away from the first two days."

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Shooting for his third career major title, Els went out in 7-under 29, missing Dennis Durnian's 19-year-old nine-hole scoring record by just a stroke.

"The first nine was, obviously, quite amazing, really," said Els, the third-ranked player in the world behind Woods and Phil Mickelson.

Although he had a pair of bogeys on the back nine and had to scramble for par at the 18th, the two-time U.S. Open winner from South Africa shot a 5-under 66 for a 36-hole total of 7-under 135.

"I've got an opportunity to achieve one of my goals," said Els, who was second at the British Open in 1996 and 2000.

A native of Scotland, Montgomerie teed off under rainy morning conditions, but that couldn't put a damper on his 64, which came within a stroke of the best round in the 131-year history of the Open.

One of the best players in European PGA Tour history, "Monty" did match the lowest score over the first two rounds of the 15 Opens held at Muirfield and jumped into contention for his first major title by reaching 4-under 138.

"I want to keep this momentum going," said Montgomerie, who has won 26 titles in Europe but is 0-for-44 in majors, placing second three times. "I know I can win."

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Playing with Woods over the first two days of the year's third major, Maruyama carded his second straight 68. He is winless in 18 major appearances and has two victories in three full years on the PGA Tour.

One of the best players in Europe, Harrington followed a 69 with a late-afternoon 67. Strong performances in majors are no surprise from Harrington, who was fifth at The Masters and eighth at the U.S. Open.

Waldorf shared the first-round lead after shooting a 67, then carded a 69 in a late group Friday. The four-time winner on the PGA Tour toned down an act that included a Hawaiian shirt and matching cap Thursday.

Tway played in the 50th of 52 threesomes and birdied the 17th hole en route to a 68 and a five-way tie atop the leaderboard. The 1986 PGA champion had not made a British Open cut since 1991.

Several others are in contention, including 49-year-old Des Smyth of Ireland, first-round co-leader Carl Petterson of Sweden and playing partner Soren Hansen of Denmark, who are a stroke off the pace at 137.

There are 30 players within five shots of the leaders. Among them are 1994 winner Nick Price of Zimbabwe and 1998 champion Mark O'Meara at 138.

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Former U.S. Open winners Retief Goosen of South Africa, Lee Janzen and Corey Pavin head a group of nine at 139. Sergio Garcia, Mark Calcavecchia and Scott Verplank are in a group of 10 at 140.

Mickelson's quest for his first major likely came to an end with a 76, which began with a double-bogey. He started the day just one shot off the lead after carding a 68 but finished on the cut line of 144.

"I'm not about to give up with two rounds left, but my play today has put me in an unfortunate position," said Mickelson, a 21-time winner on the PGA Tour who is 0-for-40 in majors.

Nicknamed "The Big Easy" for his effortless style, Els birdied almost every hole on the front nine except the fourth and seventh, making putts ranging from five feet at No. 8 to 55 feet at No. 6.

Els had a three-shot lead at the turn, but he hit a wedge over the green at the 11th hole and needed two shots to escape a bunker at the 13th, bogeying both.

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Montgomerie's 64 began through persistent rain. A month after his 39th birthday, the Scotsman had one of the 13 best rounds in the history of the event, closing with a birdie.

A native of Glasgow, Montgomerie didn't have to worry about a snickering crowd, which plagued him in the United States during the 1990s, when he dominated the European PGA Tour but was unable to break through on American soil.

Montgomerie claimed an unprecedented seven consecutive Order of Merit titles from 1993-99 but has come up short in majors, losing playoffs to Els at the 1994 U.S. Open and Steve Elkington at the 1995 PGA Championship.

Woods played a bogey-free round with just three birdies, lipping out putts at Nos. 15 and 16 after missing three within 15 feet from the 12th to the 14th.

Woods' chances might improve this weekend if the wind makes its first appearance of the tournament. Coupled with typically difficult pin placements, it could separate him from the field.

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