Riley, Stadler primed for last-minute spot in Barclays

text size

Lecka/Getty Images

Kevin Stadler fired a 63 on Friday that placed him on the first page of the leaderboard.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Chris Riley doesn't want a third straight unscheduled vacation.

RELATED

Projected standings
FedExCup Bubble Watch
Inside the Numbers
Weekly points leaders
Preview: The Barclays

He has come to the Wyndham Championship each of the last two years on the outside looking in as far as the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup are concerned. With one missed cut and a solo 77th, the laid-back Californian couldn't improve his position, either.

Riley appears to be taking care of business this year, though. He came to Sedgefield this week ranked 129th in the standings -- four strokes out of the automatic qualifiers for The Barclays -- but owns the lead at the midway point of the PGA TOUR event.

"I want to make the Playoffs," Riley, who shot a second-round 63, said. "You've got to make the Playoffs to have a chance to win the Cup. I'm way back but I'm here to win this week. And so far so good. Obviously, everybody is eying the FedExCup.

"It's a big thing to be in those Playoff tournaments, and it's fun to be able to play for it."

Riley, who hasn't won since the 2002 Reno-Tahoe Open, is looking to kill two birds with one stone this week. He says he relishes the pressure and sees the weekend at Sedgefield as an opportunity. Even so, he knows it will be a challenge.

"I think it gets harder," Riley said. "A lot of things start slipping into your head. I try not to look at leaderboards and just try and play my game. You've just got to play good golf. If you play good golf and that will take care of everything."

The following players prospered during the second round:

Sergio Garcia: The Spaniard's round of 64 on Friday was a confidence-builder after a period of lackluster play. He's tied for fourth at 9 under and will make a big jump from his current position of 114th in the FedExCup standings if he continues to contend. He could be looking further down the road in the Playoffs, as a result.

Michael Allen: The 50-year-old won the Senior PGA Championship in his Champions Tour debut earlier this year. But he showed he can still play with the young guns in shooting a 65 Friday that moved him to 6 under. He started the week near the bubble at No. 121 as he bids to play both the Playoffs and in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Kevin Stadler: He's no stranger to success in Greensboro after a tie for seventh in 2007 at Forest Oaks, where his father won in 1980. Stadler's bid to make the Playoffs for the second time got a boost with Friday's 63 at Sedgefield that left him at 8 under and three off the lead. He started the week at No. 133 so he needs a good finish come Sunday.

These players no longer control their own destiny:

Adam Scott: The Aussie will likely stay in the all-important top 125 after starting the week ranked 110th. He won't go to The Barclays with much momentum, though, after an opening 66 was followed by a 75 in the second round that left Scott well outside the cut line.

Charles Warren: He started the week as the bubble boy at No. 124 after Andres Romero, who was one rung down the ladder, decided not to play. He got off to a good start, too, with a 67 but gave ground back with Friday's 72 and at 1 under for the tournament appears almost certain to miss the cut. His wife is due to deliver their second child on Tuesday, though, so he'll have plenty to do next week.