Little-known Toms comes under spotlight

“If I continue to play well here everyone will know who I am,” he smiled.

“I did not know what to expect coming in here. My main goal was just to make the weekend.”

But as Toms was going off for a late lunch, Tiger Woods, one of the late starters, was just approaching the fifth tee.

The 24-year-old pre-championship favourite was only a shot behind Toms after he birdied the first when he his approach to within six feet and then birdied the fourth.

Overnight leader Ernie Els, one of the first out, could only manage a level par 72 to remain at six under.

The 30-year-old South African missed two ten footers in his opening four holes and a three putt from just off the green on the par-five 5th saw him fall back.

Another bogey at nine and the two-time US Open champion risked falling off the leaderboard altogether.

But birdies at 10 and 12 settled the player known as `Bigeasy’.

Left-hander Steve Flesch was the early clubhouse leader thanks to a two-under 70 to go seven-under par.

“I played a good solid round,” said Flesch who is still looking for his first win on the US Tour.

“I knew I was playing well coming over here. I’ve had a great start to the year and have a lot more confidence playing right now so I am not surprised I am in contention here.”

The 33-year-old, who first plied his trade on the Asian circuit, was helped by an eagle on the par five 14th.

“It came just at the right time. I was starting to struggle a bit,” said Flesch.

Veteran Freddie Couples, who started the day four off the lead went on the rampage and got it to eight-under by the 15th but disaster struck on the par-four 16th.

The 40-year-old hit his second into the deep bunker guarding the front of the green.

The 1993 Masters champion could do nothing but hit outside ways, leaving himself a monster 150 foot putt.

Although he got it to within 12 feet he missed the putt coming back and walked off the green after carding a double bogey.

“I decided to go the high way instead of playing a Scottish style shot along the ground and the ball plugged. I may have underclubbed. I was lucky to get out,” said couples.

Couples parred in to shoot a four-under 68 to finish six-under and warned that more low scores were to come.

“The course is there for the taking,” he said.

Spanish sensation Sergio Garcia started the day at four-under and put himself seven-under with a second round 69.

“I feel I’m playing a lot like Medina (last year’s PGA where he finished runner-up to Woods) and I am in the perfect position,” said Garcia.

The young Spaniard says he is hoping to be paired with Woods over the last two rounds.

“I would love to play with him at the weekend. It would be something special.”

The 20-year-old, who last year carded a nightmare 89 in his first round of the Open at Carnoustie, made the most of the benign conditions. Garcia nearly drove the 379-yard par four 10th.

Vijay Singh, attempting to become the first Asian to win the championship, began one-under and got it to five-under by the 12th.

Frenchman Jean van de Velde, who became a worldwide celebrity after his dramatic collapse on the 72nd hole at Carnoustie when he held a three shot lead, showed the affair had not scarred him and moved up the leaderboard.

Starting the morning one-under, he got it to five-under before the infamous 17th road hole tripped him up when he went into the bunker protecting the flag.

But while van de Velde was booking his place for the weekend Scotland’s Paul Lawrie, who beat the Frenchman in the play-off for the Open championship, went crashing out.

Lawrie was nine over for the two rounds and was left packing his bags to return to his home near Aberdeen.