Brandt Just Snedeker's into Lead

Brandt Snedeker matched a 20-year-old record held by Sir Nick Faldo as he earned a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Open Championship at Royal Lytham.

The American emulated Adam Scott's opening-day 64 to move to 10 under par after 36 flawless holes and become only the second man after Faldo in 1992 to post a halfway score of 130.

Scott scrambled hard to return a 67 which left him one behind Snedeker and three ahead of Tiger Woods, who holed a bunker escape for birdie at the last to post a second-straight 67.

Snedeker birdied the first for the second day running and picked up three shots in four holes to complete an outward 30.

Like Scott on day one, the 31-year-old threatened to card the first 62 in major history when he added further birdies at 11 and 12, but he had to settle for six closing pars to set a blistering clubhouse target.

Snedeker's lead was never seriously threatened during another benign day until Scott followed an uncertain front-nine 34 with birdies at 10 and 11.

The Australian's assured putting helped him save par several times during the round, and he converted a superb approach to five feet at the last to cap a 67 which left him one shot behind.

But the leading pair will be looking over their shoulders for Woods, who plotted his way around the Lytham links in a thoroughly professional manner.

The 14-time major champion used his driver only once, content to hit fairways with long irons and aim for the heart of the greens with the majority of his approaches.

His tactic faltered only once, when he carved his tee shot into rough at the long 11th en route to a bogey-six, but he picked up shots at the fourth, sixth and 16th before his grandstand finish took him to six under.

Unheralded Dane Thorbjorn Olesen ensured a dream pairing with Woods for the third round as he picked up four shots in five holes around the turn and also birdied the last two to get to five under.

Paul Lawrie (71) and Graeme McDowell (69) are a further shot adrift along with Matt Kuchar, Jason Dufner and Thomas Aiken, while world No 1 Luke Donald fired a solid 68 to reach two under.

But Rory McIlroy's round unravelled with a double-bogey at nine, and he came home in 39 to slip to two over after a 75, while Lee Westwood (70) made the weekend with nothing to spare amongst a host of big names a shot further back.