Allenby, Lowery share NEC lead

SAMMAMISH, Wash., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Australian Robert Allenby shot a 7-under 29 on the back nine Friday, produced a course-record 63 and tied Steve Lowery for the lead after 36 holes of the NEC Invitational, the second of the year's four World Golf Championship tournaments.

On a day in which low scores were commonplace at the Sahalee Country Club, Tiger Woods could never get going. He bogeyed two of the first five holes and had to birdie the par-5 18th just to shoot a 71 that left him at six shots off the pace in a tie for 17th. He was twice as many strokes behind after the second round as he was after the first.

Allenby has won four PGA Tour events over the past two years, but he put himself in position for the most important victory of his career with an impressive run over the back nine Friday.

He eagled the par-5 11th, ran off four straight birdies beginning at the 13th and then birdied the 18th as well.

"The first hole I hit it close and missed it and then nothing much happened for a while," Allenby said. "But I hit some great shots on the back nine. Every putt I had felt pretty easy. That is the way it goes when you have confidence.

"I have been striking the ball really well. It's just a matter of the putts dropping. You can putt pretty well and sometimes they still don't go in the hole. So you just have to be patient."

Lowery, who finished a spectacular second to Rich Beem at The International earlier this month when he had an eagle and double-eagle in the closing four holes, shot a 65 Friday to tie Allenby at 10-under 132.

Retief Goosen, who has climbed to fourth in the world since capturing the 2001 U.S. Open, was a shot out of the lead after firing a 68. He was 4-under for the day through 11 holes, but failed to make another birdie.

England's Justin Rose was at 134 and alone in fourth place while Phil Mickelson shot a 69 to put him at 135. Mickelson had a chance to challenge for the lead before making a bogey at each of the last two holes.

Loren Roberts and Fred Funk, continuing his good play after a fourth-place finish at last week's PGA Championship, shared sixth place at 136.

Beem, who shot a weary 74 Thursday in his first appearance since capturing the PGA, bounced back with a 67 Friday that moved him into a tie for 34th place.

The 77-man field is made up of members of the most recent Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams, winners of selected international events and the top 50 players in the world rankings.