There's a New Leader

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) - Bryce Molder birdied four of the last seven
holes for a 6-under 66 and a one-stroke lead Friday in the Houston
Open, the final event before the Masters next week at Augusta
National.

Molder had a 9-under 135 total on Redstone's Tournament Course.

First-round co-leader Cameron Percy (69) and fellow PGA Tour
rookie Alex Prugh (66) were tied for second, and Lee Westwood (68),
Anthony Kim (69), Joe Ogilvie (67) and Kevin Stadler (70) were 7
under after another windy day.

Ernie Els, Fred Couples and Phil Mickelson made the cut, but
were far off the pace after failing to break par in the second
round. Els (74) and Couples (73) were even par, and Mickelson (76)
was 1 over.

Els is trying to win his third straight start and the
50-year-old Couples is warming up for the Masters after three
consecutive wins on the Champions Tour.

Several big names came to Houston to tune up for the Masters.
Organizers have tried to simulate course conditions that players
will see at Augusta National - fast greens, light rough,
shaved-down runoff areas and fairways mowed toward the tees.

Lucas Glover's second-round 68 included the first hole-in-one in
the course's five-year tour history. Glover used a 6-iron on the
199-yard 16th hole for the first ace in the Houston Open since
2005. He was 3 under.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)