American Brandt Jobe forged two shots clear in the Buick Invitational second round as champion Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson finally began to stir.

Jobe, co-leader overnight with Frenchman Thomas Levet, carded a five-under-par 67 in bright sunshine at Torrey Pines to finish at 12-under 132.

The 39-year-old journeyman, yet to win on the PGA Tour, recovered from a bogey-bogey start after teeing off at the par-four 10th on the difficult South Course.

He birdied 13, eagled the par-five 18th after hitting a 265-yard second shot to just 12 feet and picked up further strokes on one, two, six and nine.

"I drove the ball real well and it's a good position to be in," Jobe told reporters. "But if we looked at how many guys had the 36-hole lead and won the tournament last year, it probably wouldn't be a great number.

"Tomorrow, I've got to go out there, get comfortable and continue to do the same things I've been doing. It's a tough golf course and the greens are tough to putt."

South African Tim Clark was tied for second at 10 under after shooting a 66 at the easier North Course, the other par-72 layout hosting the tournament.

Level with Clark was Sweden's Jesper Parnevik, who carded a six-birdie 67 at the same venue.

Most of the attention from the large galleries, however, focused on world number one Woods, who rallied with a 68 at the South Course.

In danger of missing the cut after opening with an erratic 71, the game's leading player got to seven under for the tournament with a stirring charge over the first 13 holes.

Chasing his fourth victory in eight years at Torrey Pines, Woods regained control over his new driver and eagled the par-five 13th after powering his tee shot 342 yards, reaching the green in two and holing a 60-foot putt.

However, he lost momentum with bogeys on 14 and 16 and wasted a birdie chance at the last when he missed an eight-foot putt.

Left-hander Mickelson, like Woods chasing a fourth Buick Invitational title, vaulted up the leadboard into a share of 12th place with a 67.

Having opened with a 71 on the testing South Course, the twice major winner reeled off seven birdies and two bogeys for a 36-hole total of six-under 138.

Of the other big names playing in the fourth event of the PGA Tour season, world number six Sergio Garcia was at seven under after returning a 68 and 2004 winner John Daly at four under after a 71.

Ryder Cup player Levet, who is focusing his schedule on the PGA Tour this season, held the outright lead for a while at nine under after picking up shots on six and eight over the South Course.

However, the 37-year-old Frenchman bogeyed 15, 16 and 17 before completing a 73 to finish level with Mickelson and eight others.

The halfway cut fell at one-under 143 with the tournament reverting to the South Course for the weekend.