Golf: Australian Matt Jones one shot behind leaders at halfway in PGA Tour event in Illinois

Unheralded PGA Tour rookie Patrick Reed found himself in major-winning company on Saturday (AEST) after charging into a three-way tie for the lead in the second round of the tour event in Silvis, Illinois.

Australian Matt Jones was well in contention, shooting a 6-under 65 for a two-round total of 11-under, which put put him one shot back of the leaders.

In pursuit of a maiden victory on the circuit, Reed fired a sizzling 8-under-par 63 on a day of low scoring to finish at 12-under 130, level with former major winners Zach Johnson (66) and Lucas Glover (62).

Jones ended the day a stroke in front of Americans Kevin Streelman (66), Jerry Kelly (64), Daniel Summerhays (67) and Troy Matteson (64), and Canadian David Hearn (66).

"It was just one of those days," the 22-year-old Reed told reporters after mixing an eagle at the par-5 17th with seven birdies and a lone bogey to surge to the top of the leaderboard.

"I have been hitting the ball well this week and I am hitting a lot of good putts. Unfortunately I am still missing a couple of short ones but I am saving myself by making the putts that I need to and also by making some long ones.

"The driver is a little inconsistent right now ... but besides that I can't complain about any other part of my game," said Reed, who earned his PGA Tour card for this year by tying for 22nd at the 2012 qualifying school.
Gritty display

Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion who won last year's edition of hte Illinois event in a sudden-death playoff with Matteson, maintained his bid for a 10th PGA Tour victory with a gritty and flawless display as he recorded five birdies.

"Today was a hard 66," said Johnson, co-leader overnight with Colombia's Camilo Villegas. "Yesterday was a much easier 64.

"I didn't drive it very well but the positive side is I know I can play here if I don't drive it. My short game was tremendous. I putted great and I chipped it even better."

Glover, who clinched his only major title at the 2009 U.S. Open, also went bogey-free as he piled up nine birdies to rocket into contention.

He was delighted to be in the hunt for his fourth PGA Tour title after missing five cuts in his last six starts on the circuit.

"I've been struggling," Glover said. "I was ecstatic to shoot three-under yesterday. You can imagine how I feel today."

Matteson sparked his move up the leaderboard with an ace at the par-3 third and went on to mix six birdies with one bogey before ending the round two strokes off the pace.

The cut fell at 4-under 138 with former major winners Louis Oosthuizen, Trevor Immelman and Shaun Micheel among those missing out.