Second-round notebook: John Deere Classic

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SILVIS, Ill. -- The 36-hole cut came at 4-under 138 with 64 professionals and one amateur (Jack Newman) making it to the third round, which willl be played Sunday. Third-round tee times will start at 6:45 a.m. CT. The completion of the final round is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. CBS will air the final round from 2-6 p.m. CT.

• Darron Stiles followed up his first-round 64 with a 65 to increase his lead to three strokes over Steve Stricker after the morning wave.

RELATED LINKS

Leaderboard: Rd. 2 scores
Round 3 tee times
The Live Report: Round 2
Scorecard: Steve Stricker
Scorecard: Darron Stiles
Photos: Second round
The Daily Wrap-up

• Stiles' lead is the third second-round lead of his career. His previous two second-round leads are were at the 2006 St. Jude Classic, where he tied for 22nd, and the 2006 Buick Championship, where he tied for 31st.

• Playing in his 107th PGA TOUR event, Darron Stiles is looking to improve on his career-best finish of a tie for ninth, which came at the 2005 Buick Championship and at the 2005 Chrysler Classic of Tucson. Stiles has not had a top-10 finish since 2005.

• Stiles has now made 48 cuts on TOUR with 58 missed cuts.

• Stiles' 36-hole total of 129 is a personal best; his previous-best 36-hole score was a 132 at the 2003 Greater Hartford Open and the 2006 Buick Championship.

• Stricker had 11 threes on his card today and needed just nine putts on the back nine and 22 total putts en route to his 61. Stricker's 22 putts today matched his career best, which he has done four other times. His most recent 22-putt performance was at the 2005 Chrysler Classic of Tucson.

• Stricker fired a 10-under 61 in the second-round to tie J.P. Hayes' tournament record from 2002. Hayes also recorded his 61 in the second round and went on to win by four strokes.

• Stricker tied his career-best round (61) set earlier this year at the 50th Bob Hope Classic hosted by Arnold Palmer. Prior to his pair of 61s this year, his best 18-hole score was a 62 recorded at the Phoenix Open in 2001 and 2003.

• Prior to today's 29 on the back-nine (Stricker's first nine), Stricker had two other 29s in his career; the most recent came at the 2001 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee.

• Stricker is looking for his first double-win season on TOUR since he won the Kemper Open and Western Open in 1996.

• There are 23 players in the John Deere Classic (as of July 8, 2009) who will be playing in the British Open next week including: Briny Baird, Mark Calcavecchia, Chad Campbell, James Driscoll, Ken Duke, David Duval, Lucas Glover, Todd Hamilton, Charley Hoffman, Charles Howell III, Richard S. Johnson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Tom Lehman, Davis Love III, Bryce Molder, Kenny Perry, Carl Pettersson, Brandt Snedeker, Steve Stricker, Kevin Sutherland, David Toms and D.J. Trahan.

• Another player in the John Deere Classic field has the opportunity to join the 23 players heading to the British Open. The leading player, not otherwise exempt, among the top five finishers and ties at the John Deere Classic will be exempt for the British Open. Below are the top three players and their status for the British Open:

• So far this season, 13 of 27 players have turned their second-round leads/co-leads into victory. Tiger Woods was the last to accomplish the feat at the AT&T National.

• The 2009 John Deere Classic is the 10th PGA TOUR event to experience at least one weather delay this season. The most recent rain delay came two weeks ago at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn., where Kenny Perry ultimately emerged victorious.

• Prior to this year's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the last time a round was suspended without any play was the 2008 BMW Championship (Round 1).

• Paul Stankowski (shin injury) and James Oh (neck) withdrew prior to the second round. Aron Price (illness) withdrew during the second round.