Three share second-round lead at Humana Challenge

Reporting from La Quinta — Ben Crane does not get down on one knee and make the sign of the cross when he holes out from the fairway for a birdie. There is no national craze known as “Craning.”

But the golfer is just as intense about his Christian faith as Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is, and Crane said he is thrilled to watch Tebow make public affirmations of faith.

Crane spoke about Tebow and religion only when asked Friday, and not until he had thoroughly explained his round of golf at the Humana Challenge, which left him tied for the second-round lead with first-round coleader David Toms and PGA Tour veteran Mark Wilson.

The three are at 16-under-par 128.

Wilson shot 10-under 62 on Friday on the PGA West Arnold Palmer Private Course, Crane shot nine-under 63 on the Palmer layout and Toms had a seven-under 65 on the PGA West Jack Nicklaus Private Course.

The leaders are three shots ahead of a group of four that include Camilo Villegas (68), who was tied with Toms for the first-round lead.

Scoring well came easily for many in the field Friday.

Ryan Moore, who has one PGA Tour tournament victory, shot 11-under 61; Harris English, a rookie, had a 62 in his sixth PGA Tour round; and Crane was one of four to shoot 63. Moore played on the Nicklaus layout and tied the course record set by Charlie Wi in 2009.

For some of the biggest names in the tournament, the day did not go as well.

Phil Mickelson, a two-time winner of the event when it was known as the Bob Hope Classic, added a 69 to a first-round 74. At one under after two rounds, Mickelson is tied for 124th and probably will miss the cut, which will be made Saturday after the third round.

Dustin Johnson, ranked eighth in the world, withdrew after nine holes Friday. Johnson had knee surgery at the end of last season and said his lower back was stiff. Until he played the first round Thursday, Johnson said, he had not walked 18 holes since his knee surgery.

Crane began his second round with a bogey.

“Yeah, got off to a great start,” he said. There was sarcasm in his smile.

But there was only sincerity from Crane when he spoke about the attention Tebow receives because of the quarterback’s open affirmation of his Christian faith.

“I love who he is; I love what he’s doing,” Crane said.

Crane, who includes the 2010 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines among his four PGA Tour victories, started his round Friday with a bogey on No. 10, but he eagled the par-five 11th hole and birdied the par-three 12th when he chipped in from a bunker.

He hit only 22 putts.

“I guess that’s how you do it,” Crane said. “Just a couple of good bounces and there it is.”

Toms started his round birdie-bogey and said his tee shots were erratic. But Toms finished birdie-eagle-birdie on the front nine and, he said, “turned a so-so day into a pretty solid day.”

Wilson’s 62 was a career low and was highlighted by an eagle on the 11th hole on the Palmer course.

diane.pucin@latimes.com

twitter.com/mepucin