Early starter Robert Allenby stayed a shot in front of the pack in the second round of the Sony Open in Honolulu.
Australian Allenby had opened his US season with a five-under-par 65 at Waialae Country Club late on Thursday to take a share of the overnight lead and he followed it with a three-under 67 to get to the clubhouse at halfway in eight under par at the first full-field event on the 2010 PGA Tour.
World number three Steve Stricker matched Allenby's second-round 67 and was lying one stroke behind the clubhouse leader with fellow American John Merrick, who shot a 68.
Troy Matteson and Shane Bertsch were a further shot back on six under following a 67 and 68 respectively with two of the six overnight co-leaders Ryan Palmer and Zach Johnson getting their rounds under way in the afternoon wave having birdied early.
Paul Goydos had the round of the day so far after improving on his opening 72 by nine shots to get to five under at halfway, while England's Justin Rose was another to make a big move with a second-round 65 to improve to three under.
Brian Davis moved to one under following a 69 but Luke Donald was in danger of missing the cut despite posting a two-under 68. That left the Ryder Cup star at two over par with the projected cut line at one over.
Fiji's Vijay Singh and Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson were in the clubhouse waiting anxiously on one over while among those in need of low rounds to avoid an early exit in Hawaii were Swedish trio Jesper Parnevik, Mathias Gronberg and Daniel Chopra.
Gronberg was five over after six holes, Parnevik four over after 10 holes and Chopra two over after nine.
