Two eagles help Clark overhaul Weir in Boston

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

NORTON, Massachusetts (Reuters) - South African Tim Clark, inspired by two eagles, opened a one-stroke lead with a sparkling nine-under-par 62 in the Deutsche Bank Championship second round on Saturday.

Five off the pace at the start of another day of low-scoring at the TPC Boston, Clark briefly raised hopes of a magical 59 before bogeying the last two holes for a 14-under total of 128.

That left him one ahead of first-round leader Mike Weir of Canada (68), with American Ben Curtis (65) and 2004 champion Vijay Singh (66) of Fiji a further stroke back.

Clark, yet to win on the PGA Tour, raced to the turn in five-under 30 after teeing off at the par-four 10th in damp, overcast conditions.

He picked up another shot at the first before hitting a three-iron to eight feet at the par-five second to set up his first eagle.

The 32-year-old also eagled the 290-yard, par-four fourth when he rolled in a 22-foot putt after his drive ended up narrowly short of the green.

Another birdie followed at the seventh when he struck a wedge approach to two feet and he needed to pick up one more shot to become the fourth player to fire a 59 on the PGA Tour.

LIPPED OUT

However, Clark bogeyed the tricky par-three eighth after missing the green to the right and also dropped a shot at the ninth when his par putt lipped out from nine feet.

"Once my putt on eight missed that was the end of the dream," Clark told reporters. "That hole was always going to be tough but I felt I hit a good (par) putt there.

"I've been hitting the ball nicely and today it was just strange, I felt good all day. I just kept making birdie after birdie after birdie.

"On my back nine a couple of eagles really boosted the round. For a while there, there was certainly a chance of 59."

American Al Geiberger was the first player to break 60 on the PGA Tour, shooting a 13-under 59 in the second round of the 1977 Memphis Classic.

Chip Beck did likewise in the third round of the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational before David Duval repeated the feat in the fifth and final round of the 1999 Bob Hope Classic.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)