Harrington hits the front in Florida

20 Mar 2010 - 12:37:59

Padraig Harrington is the halfway leader at the Transitions Championship in Florida.

Four behind after his opening 69, Ireland's three-time major winner produced a six-under-par 65 for an eight-under total.

With first-round leader Garrett Willis crashing to a 77 and making the cut with only a stroke to spare at level par, Harrington heads into the closing 36 holes one ahead of Americans Jim Furyk and Bubba Watson, Swede Carl Pettersson and defending champion Retief Goosen.

But World Match Play champion Ian Poulter bowed out on four over after a second successive 73 in his final Tour event before next month's Masters.

Poulter needed to play the last six holes in level par to make it through, but went into the lake at the short 13th and finished with two more bogeys.

Harrington, without a Tour win since he won back-to-back majors at The Open and US PGA two years ago, said afterwards: "I'm capable of winning in the form I'm in. Am I in my best form? No. Am I getting there? Yes."

English pair Ross Fisher and Luke Donald are four under and three under respectively, with Scot Martin Laird one further back.

Justin Rose, 59th in the world and looking to climb into the top 50 in time for The Masters, kept that hope alive by improving five strokes on his opening 73 and moving to one under.