HARRISON, New York, 13 June 2004 — Fred Couples continued to mine a rich vein of form to move into a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Buick Classic on Friday.

After finishing second at last week’s Memorial, Couples used his silky smooth swing to shoot a six-under-par 65 for a 10-under-par 132 total.

Lurking a stroke behind at the par-71 Westchester Country Club are world number three Vijay Singh (70) of Fiji, Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson (69) and Britain’s Luke Donald (66). Tom Byrum carded the best round of the day, a seven-under 64, and moved into sole possession of fifth place on 135.

Rounding off the top 10 on 136 are Ireland’s Padraig Harrington (68), Billy Mayfair (68), Australian Scott Hend (68), South African Tjaart Van der Walt (65) and Cameron Beckman (68).

South Africa’s Ernie Els, who moved into the number two spot in the world rankings after his victory at the Memorial, finished with a two-under-par 69 and is on 137, tied for 11th with Master’s champion Phil Mickelson, who shot a 68.

Defending champion Jonathan Kaye recovered well from an opening-round 73 by recording a 66 and is on 139.

The cut fell at one-under 141.

The 44-year-old Couples has enjoyed a career revival over the last year.

After failing to win since the 1998 Memorial, Couples’ return to form was one of the more positive stories of last season after he captured the Houston Open and finished 34th on the PGA Tour money list. In 2004, Couples had played well in spurts, but chronic back problems have always been an issue.

Tunnicliff Stays on Track for Second Career Win

In Gleneagles, Scotland, Miles Tunnicliff stayed ahead in the Diageo Championship for a second day, taking a three-stroke lead into today’s final round.

Two years after winning his maiden title, which came after 12 visits to tour qualifying school, the 35-year-old Briton was looking for his second victory after a level-par 72, for a nine-under-par 207, was good enough to keep the field at bay.

Anders Hansen, though, was aiming to be the second successive Dane to lift the Scottish title after shooting the week’s best score, a 64, which was only a stroke off the PGA Centenary course record.

Hansen shared second place with Spain’s Santiago Luna and Australian left-hander Nick O’Hern.

Last year’s winner from Denmark, Soren Kjeldsen, still has a chance of back-to-back Gleneagles titles after moving up to fifth place, a further stroke back, with two more Britons, Gary Evans and Russell Claydon.

Britain and Ireland Put Wie in Shade

In Formby, England, Michelle Wie’s first outing in the Curtis Cup ended in disappointment yesterday when defending champions the United States fell 3-0 down against Britain and Ireland after the opening foursomes.

Wie, just 14, teamed up with Brittany Lang but they fell to Anne Laing and Claire Coughlan with the home pair taking a 1-up victory when Coughlan clinched a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-4, 380-yard 18th hole.

Earlier, Shelley McKevitt and Emma Duggelby teamed to give Britain and Ireland their first point of the day with a 3-and-2 victory over Paula Creamer and Jane Park.

Creamer and Park led early, but McKevitt and Duggelby came back to win four consecutive holes, starting at the par-3, 370-yard 13th.

The match ended on the par-3, 120-yard 16th hole when Duggelby sank a 4-foot par putt after Creamer missed her par putt from five feet.

The home team’s second point came from Nicola Timmins and Danielle Masters who took a 1-up lead against Sarah Huarte and Annie Thurman on the par-4, 384-yard 15th hole.

Timmins and Masters were on the green in two and two-putted for par, while Thurman’s approach sailed the green into thick grass.

Huarte’s next shot flew by the green and after a USA two-putt, Britain and Ireland took a lead they never relinquished.