England's Rai takes share of lead in Illinois

John Deere Classic leaderboard

-14 A Rai (Eng), CT Pan (Tpe); -13 H Hall (Eng); -12 SJ Im (Kor), H Springer (US), E Cole (US), D Thompson (US), D McCarthy (US), L Clanton (US)

Selected others: -10 L Glover (US); -8 S Power (Ire), -7 B Taylor (Eng)

Full leaderboard

England's Aaron Rai made 5 birdies successful his backmost 9 to assistance himself into a stock of nan lead astatine nan halfway shape of nan John Deere Classic successful Illinois.

Rai moved to 14 nether par alongside Chinese Taipei's CT Pan, while 2 birdies successful nan past 3 holes near chap Englishman Harry Hall a changeable disconnected nan pace.

First-round leader Hayden Springer, who changeable a 59 successful nan opening round, was successful a group 1 changeable further back.

Rai said his existent tally of shape was down to other activity he was putting successful connected nan greens.

He vanished 1 changeable disconnected nan lead astatine past week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic.

"A mates of weeks agone I spent rather a while connected nan green," he said. "My dada gave maine a mates tips. Started moving pinch John Graham past week, arsenic well, a putting coach who is based retired here.

"Putting each that together has decidedly translated to connected nan course."

Pan said he was happy pinch his efforts having had a bad night’s slumber pursuing discussions complete arrangements for his quality astatine nan Olympics later this month.

"I had a really superior speech pinch my Olympic committee conscionable trying to fig retired each nan arrangements," said nan bronze medallist from Tokyo. "Did not spell well. I tin show you that. I didn't slumber well.

"That's nan biggest arena for my state and myself, also. And it would beryllium really cool to play good astatine an arena that only happens erstwhile each 4 years."