Singh is feeling better after a 65

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Bay Hill leader after two rounds is a sick 45-year-old man whose window for success might be closing and might be a fraction of his old self if you ask around in certain circles.

By the appearance of his play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Friday’s five-under-par round of 65, Vijay Singh is shattering all of those thoughts but one.

He really is sick. He has lost 18 pounds because of a stomach virus.

“I’ve got a heavy shirt on. I can see my ribs,” said Singh, who at nine-under 131 leads the by two strokes over Carl Pettersson. “I thought I was going to pull out of this tournament, but on Friday I just started to, yeah, hit a few.”

Singh, the defending champion at Bay Hill, has shown steady command of the Bay Hill course while others have had trouble keeping pace.

The leaderboard saw some changes through Friday’s drizzly day, including first-round leader Fred Couples’ shooting a three-over 73 to fall to a tie for 20th.

One thing hasn’t changed -- Tiger Woods’ name is still off the leaderboard. Despite the fact he shot his third under-70 round at Bay Hill since 2004, Woods’ 68 might not have been enough to creep within striking distance. He’s tied for 20th with eight other players, seven strokes back.

Other prominent players have remained in contention, including Jim Furyk, tied for third at six under with Ken Duke and Lee Westwood.

Phil Mickelson shot a 67 and is at one under.

“I need some help so that the leaders don’t run away,” Mickelson said.

Lorena Ochoa shot a four-over 76, her highest score in nearly a year, leaving the world’s top-ranked player and Mexico native nine strokes behind first-round leader Jill McGill in the MasterCard Classic at Huixquilucan, Mexico.

Coming off an 11-stroke victory two weeks ago in Singapore in her season debut, Ochoa had six bogeys and two birdies on the hilly Bosque Real Country Club course. It was her highest score since a 77 in the final round of the Ginn Open last April.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.