Former winners in Buick driver's seat

By Steve Keating

GRAND BLANC, Michigan (Reuters) - American Kenny Perry fired a sizzling nine-under 63 to grab a share of the second round lead at the Buick Open on Friday alongside Jim Furyk and Brett Quigley.

Lurking one shot back on a crowded leaderboard are Rocco Mediate, Scott Verplank and Brian Bateman, with Lucas Glover, Woody Austin and Australian Steve Elkington a stroke further adrift.

Playing the back nine first at Warwick Hills Golf Club, Perry stepped onto his last tee with a one-shot lead needing one more birdie to equal the course record of 11-under 61 held by Tiger Woods and Billy Mayfair.

But a bogey five on the par-four ninth spoiled an unblemished scorecard, dropping him to 10-under 134 and a three-way tie for the lead.

"I know you all hate that cliche, one shot at a time, but I was playing each hole as it came before me," Perry told reporters.

"I just told myself 'get it on the green, anywhere on the greens, I've got radar on this putter today.'"

Perry's putter was the key to his round, the 46-year-old one-putting the first eight holes and finishing his day with just 22 putts in total.

His best effort came at the sixth where he rolled in a 52-foot birdie putt then followed up with 14-footer for eagle on the seventh.

Furyk, the world number three and 2003 Buick winner, turned in another workmanlike effort, carding a four-under 68 for his 35th consecutive under-par round at Warwick Hills with Quigley signing for three-under 69.

While Perry, Furyk, Mediate and Verplank are all former Buick champions, Quigley and Bateman enter the weekend chasing their maiden PGA Tour titles.

Quigley has waited longer than most to taste success having played in a record 301 PGA Tour events without a victory.

"Leading or not I know I have to play well," he said.

Verplank, who won the Buick Open 19 years ago, moved into contention for a second title, battling to a three-under 69.

Mediate began the day with a one-shot cushion after firing a bogey-free opening round of eight-under 64, but the 2000 Buick winner could not come close to matching that effort, struggling to a one-under 71 to reach the midway point at nine-under 135.