MEMPHIS, Tenn. – David Toms should never, ever miss playing a round at the TPC at Southwind.

Toms turned in his best round this year with an 8-under 63 that helped the defending champion lead Vaughn Taylor by a stroke after the second round of the St. Jude Classic on Friday.

The defending St. Jude champion carded six birdies and an eagle for his 10th straight round in the 60s here and a 12-under 130.

“It seems the more I’ve played this tournament, the better I’ve played. The last few years it’s been good to me,” Toms said.

At No. 16 in the world, Toms is the highest ranked player in this event, and he isn’t willing to give all the credit to the course. He missed three of his first four cuts here but finished fourth in 2002 and went 20 under last year.

Taylor, who had never led a round in a PGA Tour event before Thursday, did his best to keep pace with a bogey-free 65. He will play with Toms in the final group Saturday, a first he spent Friday trying to prepare for mentally by looking at his name on the leaderboards.

“I like seeing my name up there,” said Taylor, who earned his card by finishing 11th on the Nationwide Tour in 2003. “I’m trying to get used to it, so when I do see it up there it’s not a shock to me.”

Ben Crane was third, five strokes back, after a 65 followed by a four-way tie at 136 with John Daly (65), Tim Herron (64), Paul Stankowski (69) and Ted Purdy (64). A total of 74 golfers made the cut at 1 over.

Daly, who needs a strong finish here to earn an exemption to the U.S. Open, bogeyed his final hole when he tried to putt between two sprinkler heads on No. 9.

Estill leads Sorenstam by one at Corning

CORNING, N.Y. – The Annika chase didn’t last long.

Just hours after Annika Sorenstam seemed assured of the second-round lead at the Corning Classic after an impressive 5-under 67 Friday, Michelle Estill shot a stunning 64 and was one stroke in front of the Swedish star.

Estill was at 13-under 131, one stroke better than the 36-hole record set last year by Lorie Kane and Catriona Matthew. Sorenstam was alone in second, four shots ahead of 2001 Corning champion Carin Koch, who had a 68.

Liselotte Neumann, who began the day tied for the lead with Sorenstam, struggled to a 72 that included five bogeys, three birdies and an eagle. She was at 137, tied with Sherri Steinhauer (70), Natalie Gulbis (71), Mhairi McKay (66), Denise Killeen (68) and Laura Diaz (68), who won here two years ago.

But the day belonged to Estill, and it didn’t take her long to realize it might be something special. Playing in only her fourth tournament of the year, Estill had five birdies and a bogey for a 31 to match the tournament record on the back nine.

Sorenstam was long gone when Estill started her challenge. Estill, who had an opening 67, jumped to 11 under with an eagle at No. 2 and tied Sorenstam for the lead with a birdie at No. 5.

Levi surges to lead in rain-delayed Senior PGA

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wayne Levi made four birdies just before the second round was suspended because of darkness Friday and held a one-shot lead in the rain-delayed Senior PGA Championship.

The 52-year-old Levi was one of 72 players who completed his first round late at Valhalla Golf Club on Friday afternoon. Levi shot an opening 69, then made the four birdies through the first 11 holes of his second round to move to 6-under.

Gil Morgan was 5-under through 11 holes on his second round when a horn signaled the end of play at 8:44 p.m. EDT. Hale Irwin and Tom Watson, among 78 players who did not begin their second rounds Friday, were another stroke back.

First-round co-leader Jay Haas bogeyed two of his last four holes Friday and was one of three players at 3-under.

The second round was scheduled to resume at 7:30 a.m. EDT Saturday. PGA officials were hoping to complete the third round as well.

Heavy rain has hampered the tournament since Wednesday afternoon, when a thunderstorm postponed practice rounds.

A powerful storm struck Thursday night and Floyd’s Fork, the creek that runs through the course, spilled over its banks. Several fairways flooded and grassy parking lots turned into mud pits.

Course superintendent Mark Wilson said the course has absorbed more than 5 inches of rain this week, but the playing areas have sustained no serious damage.

However, on Friday morning, many spectator areas and tents were swamped and some television satellite trucks were surrounded by water in a low-lying parking area. Divers tied ropes to flooded cars for a tow truck to pull them out.

Sunny skies the rest of the day aided cleanup efforts, and play finally resumed at 4:30 p.m.

Kerry Haigh, the PGA’s managing director of tournaments, said the PGA wanted to avoid cutting the tournament to 54 holes and would finish the tournament Monday, if necessary.

“This is a major championship and we intend to play 72 holes,” Haigh said.

The 2000 Senior PGA Championship, played at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., was shortened to 54 holes after seven storm delays.

Haas and Morgan, who completed their first rounds on Friday, matched the 4-under 67s shot by Irwin and Watson on Thursday.

Haas and Morgan were both on No. 7, a par-5, when the first round was stopped because of rain. When play resumed, Morgan lofted a pitch from the rough right of the green to 6 feet and made the putt to join the leaders at 4-under.

He made a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 8, then bogeyed 9.

“I made the one error on the last hole,” Morgan said. “Other than that, I kept it in play fairly well.”

Haas, a PGA Tour regular making his debut as a senior, was playing in the group behind Morgan. He reached the 586-yard 7th in two and two-putted, then knocked an 8-iron within a foot on the 166-yard 8th. He parred 9 to make a foursome at 4-under.

“Overall, I can’t be more pleased,” said Haas, who has four top-10 finishes on the regular tour this year.

Haas arrived at the course at 6 a.m. Friday, left, came back at 10 a.m. and then waited out the delay.

“I ate several times, I did a crossword puzzle, I worked out,” said Haas, who turned 50 in December. “It went pretty slowly, but I had enough buddies in there. We made the best of it.”