Graeme McDowell took to the overtaking lane with a six under par 64 on day two of the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens.

‘G Mac’ had shot what then a course record 64 on the final day of the 2011 event to share sixth place and he’s now in contention after repeating the effort with a similar 64 in this year’s tournament.

Graeme McDowell equals the Honda Classic course record for a second year running. (Photo - Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

McDowell was  among eight players to have recorded rounds of 64 on the alligator infested Florida course.

The Northern Irishman bounced back from a no frills opening round 73 in teh $US 5.7m event to post eight birdies including four in succession from the 12th hole.

Then after dropping a shot at the 16th McDowell moved back to six under par when he birdied the 18th.

Also shooting a 64 was American Tom Gillies who moved into the clubhouse lead at eight under par.

Gillis’ round was easily his best in 14 Honda Classic rounds and only the second occasion  the now 43-year old has broken par in the event.

His effort this year already is in stark contrast to 2011 when Gillis crashed out with a 10-over par 36-hole total.

However it was Georgia’s Brian Harman who now enjoys the course record and smashing the old mark by three strokes in shooting a nine under par 61 that included an eagle and eight birdies but with a 12th hole bogeying denying the 25-year old a round of 60.

Harman moved into a then share of fourth place at six under par.

But while Harman produced his lowest ever round on the PGA Tour there was no seperating Lee Westwood and Tiger Woods after two days playing in each others company with the Ryder Cup rivals moving to one under par after respective second day scores of 69 and 68.

However while Woods again didn’t play well he was overwhelmed by the support of the crowd.

“Well, I got it going, lost it, got it going, lost it and then got it going,” he told reporters.

“It was a little bit of a fight today.  Probably the worst I’ve hit the ball in months.

“But the crowd’s reaction was incredible, it really is.  I mean, this is incredible to play in front of my new hometown, and the people have been absolutely fantastic, so supportive, and really nice, positive things out there.”

And speaking of the Ryder Cup, European  Captain Jose Maria Olazabal showed his Medinah opponent Davis Love 111 that he also was in form.   

A day after Love 111 raced to a two stroke lead with a six under par 64 that included a hole-in-one, Olazabal signed for a 67 to move back to even par following a first day 73.

Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington also has returned to some form in carding a day two 68 to move to two under par in the event he won in 2005, and it was also the Irishman’s first success on the PGA Tour.

However Harrington teed-up this week ranked a lowly 87th in the world and needs to win the event for a second time to secure a place, via a top-10 FedEx Cup standing, into next week’s WGC  – Cadillac Championship.

Harrington birdied three of his opening six holes on day two but it was an adventurous closing 11 holes that included birdies at his 11th and 15th holes but also bogeys at his eighth, 12th and final holes.

However Darren Clarke’s wretched run of form continues unchecked despite having experienced Phil ‘Wobbly’ Morbey on the bag.

The reigning Open Champion has the weekend off after scores of 73 and 75 to easily miss the cut with an eight over par total.

Clarke pared his opening eight holes on day two but it then turned sour with the Portrush resident dropping a shot at his ninth but then also posting back-to-back double bogeys at his 14th and 15th holes.

Clarke did birdie his 17th but walked off with a final hole bogey.