Ernie Els carded his second successive four-under-par 68 on Friday to reach the halfway mark of the Regions Tradition, the first senior major championship of the year, in fourth place.
In reaching eight-under-par for the tournament, Els was three shots off the lead which was held by Steve Stricker at 11-under after Stricker added a 68 to his opening 65. The 2020 US Ryder Cup captain had a two-shot lead over fellow-American Scott McCarron and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington. Els was one clear of Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain, Australian Stuart Appleby and New Zealand’s Steven Alker.
Els opened with birdies on the first and second, and dropped a shot on the fourth as he turned in one-under. He had four birdies on his homeward nine, but dropped a shot on the par-three 17th.
Retief Goosen slipped down the leaderboard into a share of 24th after a second round of one-over-par 73 took him to two-under for the tournament.
Stricker, who has won and finished second the last two trips to Greystone Golf & Country Club, is continuing his comeback from a health scare that landed him in the hospital for nearly two weeks last year.
