Singh’s 65 puts him one back in Canada

Vijay Singh patiently worked his way up the leaderboard, leaving playing partner Mike Weir behind again in the Canadian Open at Markham, Ontario.

The 2004 winner in a playoff with Weir, Singh shot a six-under-par 65 on Friday to finish the second round a stroke behind leaders Steve Allan and John Mallinger.

“The golf course isn’t very difficult, but the pin placements are,” Singh said.

Weir nearly missed the cut for the second year in a row and 11th time in 16 starts in the national championship. The Canadian followed his opening 71 with a 70 to qualify for weekend play by a stroke at one under.

“It was a struggle all the way around,” the 2003 Masters champion said. “I’ll go to the range and try to figure it out.”

Allan added a 68 to his opening 64 to match Mallinger (66) at 10-under 132 on Angus Glen’s North Course. Tripp Isenhour (68) joined Singh at nine under.

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Tom Watson missed a five-foot putt at the last hole and tossed away a share of the lead at the Senior British Open, and overnight leader Nick Faldo lost his putting touch and slipped to sixth at Gullane, Scotland.

“Not a good way to end,” said Watson, who finished with a par 71 and handed the lead to Des Smyth, who shot 70 and held the clubhouse lead with a two-under 140 total for more than six hours at windswept Muirfield. No player broke 70 on Friday.

A five-time British Open winner -- including on the same Muirfield links in 1980 -- Watson was tied for second with Eduardo Romero (71), Gordon Brand (73) and Stewart Ginn (70) at one under. Faldo shot a 74, two strokes behind the leader after opening with a 68 in his 50-and-over debut.

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Diana D’Alessio and Jin-joo Hong shared a three-stroke lead after the second round of the LPGA’s Evian Masters at Evian-les-Bains, France.

D’Alessio shot a 68, and Hong had four birdies and two bogeys in her round of 70 as each totaled seven-under 137.

They were followed by Annika Sorenstam (69), Jang Jeong (71) and Brittany Lincicome (74).

Michelle Wie, who had gone 24 rounds without breaking par, shot a one-under 71 and made the cut at 144.