Putnam two clear in Boise

Boise, ID – Michael Putnam carded a 6-under 65 on Friday to grab a 2-stroke lead after two rounds of the Boise Open.

Putnam, who was one of three first-round leaders, finished 36 holes at 15- under-par 127. His total of 127 set a new tournament record.

Kevin Stadler set the old record of 128 in 2006 and was later matched by four other players.

Richard H. Lee fired a 9-under 62 to leap into second place at minus-13 at Hillcrest Country Club.

Tyrone Van Aswegen, who shared the opening-round lead, posted a 3-under 68. He shares third place at 12-under-par 130 with Dawie Van Der Walt (65) and Arnold Palmer's grandson, Sam Saunders (66).

Putnam flew out of the gates with three straight birdies to reach 12-under. After a birdie on the sixth, he stumbled to a bogey at the par-4 seventh.

The 2010 Utah Championship winner quickly got that shot back with a birdie on the eighth. He ran off four straight pars from the ninth.

Putnam, faltered to a bogey on No. 13 to dip to minus-12. He caught fire down the stretch. Putnam converted back-to-back birdie efforts at 15 and 16 before closing with a birdie at the last to lead by two at the halfway point.

"That's a lot of birdies. I've had it going at home, but this course is perfect," said Putnam, who has 17 birdies through two rounds. "It's as easy as it's ever been out here with zero wind and soft greens."

Lee had a similar fast start as he birdied the first two holes. He poured in three consecutive birdie efforts from the fifth and also birdied No. 9 to make the turn at 10-under.

The 25-year-old stumbled to a bogey at the par-3 13th. Lee atoned for that mistake and more as he birdied four of the last five holes to jump into second place.

"I'm not shocked that I shot 62 because I've been playing really well, it's just nice to finally see the putts drop. It's all about putting," Lee stated. "If you're putting well you can turn a 67 into a 62."

NOTES: Luke List and Ben Kohles, who are second and third on the money list, share seventh at 10-under-par 132, while money leader Casey Wittenberg is tied for 13th at minus-9...The cut line fell at 5-under-par 137 with 70 players advancing to the weekend...Among those that missed the cut were last week's winner Robert Streb and Paul Haley II, who are fourth and fifth on the tour's money list, as well as Patrick Cantlay...Casey Martin, who is making his first tour start since 2006, carded a 67 to make the cut by two strokes.