Clark leads but misses a 59

Tim Clark needed only one birdie over his last two holes to shoot 59. He finished with consecutive bogeys and had to settle for a one-shot lead Saturday in the Deutsche Bank Championship at Norton, Mass.

The South African still matched his career low with a nine-under-par 62 on soft and vulnerable TPC Boston, giving him a one-shot lead over Mike Weir of Canada at the halfway point of the PGA Tour’s second playoff event.

On another day of low scoring, Clark was trying to get into contention when he shot to the top of the leaderboard by playing a six-hole stretch in seven under, including two eagles. After a wedge to three feet on the par-five seventh put the South African at 11 under for the round with two holes to play, it all fell apart, leaving him at 14-under 128.

Weir, who tied the course record Friday with a 61, took a while to warm up until he settled in for a 68.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson overcame a double bogey on the 16th hole with a 33 on the front nine to make the cut on the number, but two Ryder Cup hopefuls from Europe were not so fortunate. Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, both trying to impress captain Nick Faldo before he makes his two picks today, missed the cut.

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Jeff Sluman shot a six-under 66 at Pebble Beach for a share of the second-round lead in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open with Loren Roberts, Phil Blackmar and John Harris.

Sluman, a six-time PGA Tour winner in his first full season on the Champions Tour rookie, had six birdies and a bogey en route to a nine-under 135 total.

It’s the first time this season a Champions Tour tournament has had multiple leaders entering the final round. Craig Stadler, the inaugural tournament winner in 2004, shot a 66 at Del Monte and was alone at eight under.

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Gregory Havret birdied the last hole for a four-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead over Anthony Wall after the third round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, Scotland. Colin Montgomerie appeared to have lost his chance of a Ryder Cup wild card after shooting a 76.