Sweden's Carl Pettersson drained 11 birdies en route to a tournament record nine-under 61 in the second round of the PGA Wyndham Championship on Friday.

Pettersson moved to 15-under 125 total, matching the record low numerical score for the first 36 holes of a PGA Tour event.

He has a three-shot lead over Garrett Willis, with Scott McCarron four shots back and Kevin Streelman adrift by five.

Pettersson's score matched the lowest of his PGA Tour career, his other 61 coming on the Palm course at Disney World.

"I'm thrilled with the way I'm playing but you can't relax until Sunday night," said the two-time PGA Tour winner. "I knew at the beginning of the week it was going to be a low scoring week."

Pettersson narrowly failed to make the European Ryder Cup team two years ago, so he's trying not to think about it this time, with less than three weeks until the team is picked for the biennial showdown with the United States.

"I was close last time and I kept looking at (the rankings), so I'm trying to forget about it," he said. "I would love to play."

Pettersson is unlikely to win an automatic spot on the European team, even if he wins this week, because he is 17th on the world points list, with only the top five earning selection.

However, he could come into consideration for one of captain Nick Faldo's two wild card picks.

Willis almost kept pace with Pettersson and finished with a 64.

"I was glad Carl ran out of holes," said Willis.

The cut fell at three-under 137 and a tournament that already lacked star power lost its only world top 20 player when Vijay Singh bowed out.

AFP