CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bubba Watson overpowered Quail Hollow and wound up with a perfect day — he tied a course record with a 30 on the front nine, shot 7-under 65 to share the lead, and doesn't have to play with Tiger Woods.

Retief Goosen, a two-time U.S. Open champion who thrives on fast greens, had another 68 yesterday to join Watson atop the leaderboard at the Quail Hollow Championship with an 8-under 136.

Woods seized control with a 55-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole and had a two-shot lead for most of the back nine until a sloppy finish, making bogeys on two of the last three holes for a 72 that left him one shot behind.

"I didn't drive the ball particularly well today, didn't hit my irons as well as I'd like," Woods said. "I was hanging in there. If I could have posted 9 (under), I would have probably gotten the most out of that round I could have. It just didn't work out that way."

Still, it was shaping up for an entertaining weekend packed with star power.

Ten players were separated by two shots going into the weekend on a course that proved it doesn't need rough to be frightening, not with firm, slick greens that made it difficult to get close to the hole.

Former Masters champion Zach Johnson, one of eight players who had at least a share of the lead at one point, was the only player to reach 10-under par until he bogeyed the last three holes for a 67 and joined the group at 7-under 137 that included Woods, Jim Furyk (66) and George McNeill (68).

Hawai'i's Parker McLachlin, a Punahou alum, rallied with a 1-under 71 for a 144 total, which was right on the cutline. Castle High alum Dean Wilson shot even 72, but missed the cut at 149.

EUROPEAN PGA

LEVET LEADS IN SPAIN, DALY TIED FOR 36TH

GIRONA, Spain — John Daly continued his 2009 debut at the Spanish Open, shooting a 72 in the second round to sit 11 shots behind leader Thomas Levet.

The Frenchman had six birdies in a 5-under 67 yesterday that left him at 13-under 131 on the Golf de Catalunya course

Levet had a two-stroke lead on first-round leader Soren Hansen (70—133).

Daly, who is still serving a six-month suspension from the PGA Tour, is tied for 36th at 142.