Atwal thrives in wind to lead Zurich Classic

India's Arjun Atwal overcame Friday's gusting winds to shoot a 4-under 68 and take a one-stroke lead over J.J. Henry after two rounds of the Zurich Classic in Avondale, La.

Atwal, looking for his first PGA Tour victory, had six birdies and two bogeys in gusts of up to 25 mph and moved 11-under 133. Henry had a second straight 67 to get to 10 under, and Chris DiMarco, playing in his first event since losing the Masters in a playoff, had a 71 and was tied with Tim Clark (69) at 8 under.

"I didn't hit it too well in the first few holes, when there was no wind," Atwal said. "But I got it up and down a few times, just steady stuff. And as the wind started to pick up, I kind of started to focus a little bit better and hit it closer and made a few putts."

Lucas Glover had a second-round 68 and was at 7 under. Defending champion Vijay Singh followed an opening 67 with a 71 and was in a three-way tie for sixth place at 6 under.

DiMarco made bogey at Nos. 6, 9, and 15, but made eagle at the par-5 seventh and had three birdies on the back nine.

LPGA Tour

Liselotte Neumann shot a 5-under 67 to take the lead in the soggy second round.

Neumann, who opened with a 72, moved to 5-under 139 in the rain-plagued event in Franklin, Tenn.

Mexico's Lorena Ochoa, the defending champion, was at 5 under through 11 holes and was one of 73 players who were unable to complete their second round at the Vanderbilt Legends Club's Ironhorse Course because of rain for the second straight day. South Korea's Hee-Won Han is also at 5 under through 10 holes, and six players are at 3 under.

First-round leader Kris Tschetter, playing in the next-to-last group, was at 2 under through six holes. There were three delays lasting nearly four hours during the second round, and up to 2 inches of rain was forecast for Friday night.

European PGA Tour

Ernie Els shot a 10-under 62 in a round played with preferred lies to take a four-stroke lead halfway through the tournament.

The South African's round was the lowest at Shanghai's Tomson Pudong Golf Club but was not considered a record because the golfers played could pick up balls and clean them on approach shots.

Els, ranked No. 3 in the world, made eight birdies and eagled the par-5 ninth hole. He was at 15-under 129 after two rounds. New Zealand's Eddie Lee was second after a 66 to leave him at 133. France's Raphael Jacquelin was next with a second consecutive 67.

Champions Tour

Curtis Strange shot a 5-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round in Lakeway, Texas.

Strange had six birdies and one bogey at The Hills Country Club, taking an opening-round lead for the first time since the 1998 Doral Ryder Open in Miami.

Brad Bryant and Mark Johnson each shot 68s, and Joe Inman, Jim Thorpe and Bruce Fleisher were another stroke back.