Sergio Garcia was in imperious form as a second-round 64 lifted him to 13 under and the top of the leaderboard at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
The Spaniard followed up an opening round of 65 at TPC Boston with an almost nerveless display of golf, carding seven birdies before his only blemish of the day with a double bogey on the par-four 14th.
However, that was forgotten on the final hole where Garcia sank an eagle to put himself a shot clear of Roberto Castro and Henrik Stenson.
Garcia has endured a dip of form recently, with poor performances at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and the USPGA Championship, but is hoping he can lift himself out of the mire this weekend.
“We decided to come here and make a little bit of an extra effort of playing obviously five weeks in a row, which I don’t usually enjoy very much,” said Garcia.
“The summer has been tough. It’s been a little bit difficult for me. But I’m trying hard to keep going, to keep doing the right things.
“At the end of the day that’s the only thing I can ask myself for, give my best effort out there. Some days you feel better than others.”
American Castro enjoyed his second successive score of six-under 65, beginning the day with an eagle on the par-five second and following up with five birdies to complete the front nine in 29.
The return was more inconsistent with a bogey, a double bogey and two further birdies but Castro nevertheless ensured his place among the leading pack alongside Stenson, who was also on song on Saturday.
The Swede bettered Garcia’s round with a score of 63 on Saturday, collecting eight birdies to climb within touching distance of the leader.
Matt Kuchar and Jason Dufner were tied for fourth on 10 under, with both players completing their rounds in 66, while Justin Rose was among the biggest movers of the day, carding an eight-under 63 which lifted the US Open champion 51 places to nine under overall.
The Englishman was flawless on the course, carding four birdies on the way out and as many on the back nine.
“It was clicking, absolutely,” Rose said afterwards. “It was a good, clean round of golf.
“I felt like I haven’t played a bogey-free round for a while, and that’s what I managed to do today.”
Compatriot Ian Poulter was a shot further back on eight under, his round of three under on Saturday taking him into a tie for ninth place.
Joint overnight leaders Phil Mickelson and Brian Davis failed to build on their promising starts, however.
Reigning British Open champion Mickelson sank four birdies but two bogeys and a double bogey on the 16th saw him remain on eight under overall, his score from the opening round, while Davis finished the round in one-over 72 to sit a shot further back alongside Tiger Woods.
Graeme McDowell carded five birdies in a 66 that saw him move to four under after two rounds, but a double-bogey on the 18th saw Rory McIlroy drop back to one under after a level-par 71.
It proved just enough to make the cut, but the world number four starts the final two rounds 12 shots adrift of Garcia.
