CHICAGO (Reuters) - Australian Greg Chalmers grabbed a two-stroke lead midway through the Milwaukee Championship by posting a three-under-par 67 in Friday's second round at Brown Deer Park Golf Course in Milwaukee.
Chalmers, a 35-year-old lefthander looking for his first U.S. PGA Tour victory, had four birdies against a lone bogey to register a total of nine-under-par 131 over the two rounds.
Tied for second on seven-under were Americans Chris Riley (66), overnight joint leader Jeff Klauk (69) and Kris Blanks, who fired a seven-under-par 63 to compensate for his opening 70.
Tour rookie Blanks caught fire on the back nine with four birdies in a row after the turn. Following a bogey at the par-four 16th, the 36-year-old Georgian got right back on track to close with two more birdies.
Eighty players made the cut at one-over-par 141.
Chalmers, twice a winner on the satellite Nationwide Tour, was tied for the lead after 36 holes at one previous PGA Tour event -- the 2000 Nissan Open where he finished tied for 18th.
The Sydney native is looking to emulate compatriot Greg Norman in winning the event after Norman's 1989 triumph.
(Writing by Larry Fine in New York, Editing by Nick Mulvenney)
