Mediate far back of leader Van Pelt

The PGA Tour’s optimistic view of life without Tiger Woods is that it gives unheralded players a chance in the spotlight.

Bo Van Pelt is trying to take advantage.

Van Pelt shot a six-under-par 66 on Friday at the Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Mich., making him a career-best 14-under-par 130 through 36 holes and the second-round leader by two shots.

Rocco Mediate (69) made the cut at four under in his first tournament since pushing Woods for five-plus rounds in the U.S. Open.

“I got some sleep and I played a little bit better,” Mediate said.

Van Pelt missed out on his best chance to win for the first time in seven PGA Tour seasons in March at the Puerto Rico Open, where he led for three-plus rounds before losing by a stroke to first-time winner Greg Kraft.

“The more I put myself in that position, one of these Sundays is going to be my day,” Van Pelt said.

Daniel Chopra (67) and Dudley Hart (68) head into the weekend at 12 under, two shots behind Van Pelt. Woody Austin (67) was another stroke back along with Matt Jones (63).

Jim Furyk (No. 12), Justin Leonard (No. 23) and Kenny Perry (No. 27) are the only players in the tournament among the top 30 in the world.

Perry (67) is faring the best of the trio, trailing Van Pelt by six shots. Leonard (68) is nine strokes back, and Furyk is 10 behind after following up a solid first round with an even-par 72.

Brian Bateman became the fourth Buick Open defending champion to miss the cut and the first in a decade. He has a shoulder injury and is planning to have surgery.

With rain in the forecast, the groups will be threesomes instead of twosomes and will go off both tees in the hopes of completing the third round today.

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Loren Roberts made a 45-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to cap a six-under 65 that gave him a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Commerce Bank Championship at East Meadow, N.Y.

It was the second consecutive year that Roberts, who is fourth on the Champions Tour money list, held the first-round lead of the 54-hole event played on the Red Course at Eisenhower Park.

Gene Jones and Greg Hickman, who has caddied for Jones on the Champions Tour, had 66s to share second place in the tournament.