Overland Park, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - Zack Sucher fired an 8-under 63 on Friday and soared into the lead after two rounds of the Midwest Classic.
Sucher, who is winless on the Web.com Tour, finished 36 holes at 13-under-par 129. He missed the tournament's 36-hole scoring record by one stroke.
Jason Gore, who leads the Web.com Tour with seven career wins, also fired a 63 to jump into second place at minus-11. Aaron Watkins is one stroke further back at 10-under 132 after shooting 65 in round two.
Bill Lunde posted a 6-under 65 on Friday and is alone in fourth place at minus-8. Shane Bertsch (70), Steve Allan (67), Kyle Reifers (67) and Paul Haley II (71) share fifth place at minus-7.
Jarrod Lyle is making his first tour start since a lengthy battle with leukemia. He shot 2-under 69 in round two and headlines a group of 11 players tied for ninth at 6-under 136.
"I'm proud and pleased at the way I'm playing," Lyle stated. "I couldn't ask for anything better. I would have been happy to make the cut on the number, but now I'm in a position where I could make a charge hopefully. Who knows what's going to happen on the weekend."
Sucher opened with birdies on the first and third at Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate. He traded a bogey for a birdie from the fifth then faltered to another bogey on the par-3 eighth.
The 27-year-old bounced right back with a birdie on the ninth. Sucher moved to 8-under with a birdie on the 11th. He then made eagle on the par-5 13th.
Sucher birdied the par-5 15th to join Gore atop the leaderboard at minus-11. He made it two in a row with a birdie on 16. Sucher closed his round with a birdie on the 18th to grab a 2-shot lead.
"I made a lot of long putts. I wasn't stuffing it in there close, which is hard to do when it's windy. I think one of the hardest things about the wind is putting. It's bothered me in the past, but it didn't bother me today," said Sucher, who had a 2-shot lead after 36 holes last week in Boise.
Gore flew out of the gate with three birdies in the first four holes to jump to 6-under. He parred three in row from the fifth.
The Panama Claro Championship runner-up dropped in a birdie effort on the eighth and made it two in a row at No. 9.
Around the turn, Gore parred four of the first five holes on the back nine to go with a birdie on the 12th. He followed a birdie on 15 with another on the 16th to move to 11-under. Gore ended there as he parred the last two holes.
"I've played solid all year, which is something new for me. It's been a much better year. I've had more fun and I've been in contention more times this year than probably in my entire career - within the last four or five groups on Sunday," said Gore, who is second in greens in regulation through two rounds. "I haven't capitalized on it, but I'll keep knocking on the door."
NOTES: Harold Varner III, who had two eagles in round one, ran off five straight birdies from the 13th ... The cut line fell at 1-under-par 141 with 72 players moving on to the weekend ... Billy Mayfair, Roland Thatcher, Nick O'Hern, Parker McLachlin, Len Mattiace and Lee Janzen are among those that missed the cut.
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