Englishman Jordan Smith seized the outright lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge after firing a second consecutive 65, with Séamus Power failing to make a meaningful move after again carding a 69 leaving him just on the cut mark.
Power, five adrift after the opening round, is now ten eight shots behind the leader on what was a day of mixed fortunes for the Co Waterford competitor. Bogeys on the first and the fourth had him on the backfoot early on but birdie threes on seven and nine offered the prospect of momentum coming home.
And while he picked up another shot on 14, bogeying 12 and then 17 left him teetering on the brink but a two-under finish was enough to keep Power around for the weekend.
Smith, the 33-year-old PGA Tour rookie moved to the front with a 31-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole at Colonial.
He heads into the weekend at 10-under-par.
Additional reporting: PA
"It's going to be a new experience for us out here leading for the first time," Smith told PGATour.com after the second round concluded.
"We're going to stick to what we've been doing the last two days and see what happens.
"Not going to force anything, we're not going to rush anything, just going to see what happens and enjoy it."
Hideki Matsuyama, 2023 Open winner Brian Harman, Michael Thorbjornsen and Ryan Gerard shared second place, a shot behind.
Reigning US Open JJ Spaun, who carded four birdies on his opening nine, is two off the lead.
