Coceres leads; Taylor in hunt

SILVIS, Ill. - Jose Coceres waited out a lengthy rain delay and played into fading daylight Friday, taking a one-shot lead before play was suspended in the second round of the John Deere Classic.

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The 40-year-old Argentine was 2 under through 11 holes for the round and was 11 under overall when play was halted because of lightning. About half of the field was to return and finish this morning before the start of the third round.

"It's not easy for any player, but you just have to accept it," he said through a translator. "I'm playing really well and concentrating very well. And I'm still leading, so I'm comfortable."

Augusta's Vaughn Taylor (69) was one stroke off the lead at 132, tied with Greg Chalmers who was 3 under through 13 holes when play was called.

A group of eight was four shots off the lead.

Coceres, a former caddie who taught himself to play with clubs fashioned from branches, was the first-round leader after shooting a career-best 62. He won twice in 2001, but a broken arm wiped out most of 2002 and led to inconsistent play last year.

He got off to a good start Friday with birdies on two of his first four holes. Coceres got to 12 under with a birdie on No. 10 before bogeying 11.

It's the first time he's had the lead this late in a tournament since winning the National Car Rental Classic.

"I really want to have a good tournament. I'm ready," he said.

Taylor moved into a tie for the lead with birdie on No. 10, but three-putted the next hole to fall a shot back. A double-bogey dropped Taylor to 7 under, but he had three birdies over the next six holes to get within a shot of Coceres.

The 28-year-old rookie finished in a tie for fifth in the St. Jude Classic. He's put himself in contention again.

"Hopefully I'll be more relaxed. I think more and more, (when) I'm in that position I'll get used to it," he said.

Vijay Singh, last year's champion, shot a 67 to move to 6-under 136 for the tournament - though he hoped for better.

He bogeyed two of the final three holes and had another bogey on the par-3 12th. On 18, Singh hit his drive to 100 yards of the pin and had a birdie opportunity from 20 feet.

Instead, he three-putted. After tapping in for bogey, a disgusted Singh pulled the ball out of the hole and tossed it into a pond directly behind him before walking off the course.

"It was a little disappointing. I had a chance to shoot a really low number," Singh said. "A bad way to finish."

Singh leads the tour with three victories this year and surprised some by returning to the Deere Classic, played so close to next week's British Open. With more rain expected, the tournament could be extended into Monday - as it was last year.

That could be trouble for Singh, one of just six of the tour's top 30 players in the field.

It wasn't on his mind, though, after the second round.

"I'm feeling good about my game. I'm going to finish well, get some good momentum for next week," he said. "My focus is to try to go out there tomorrow and see if I can get close to the lead."