DeCorso takes lead at Midwest Classic after posting his career-low round

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- He came into this week’s event with just one top-25 finish in 13 starts in 2012 and 131st on the current Web.com Tour’s money list, but Bryan DeCorso may have got himself into position for what could be his best showing of the 2012 season.

The 41-year-old Kent State product fired an 8-under-par 63 on Friday, his career low round on the Web.com Tour. His previous low was a 64 at the 2009 Utah Championship and the 2011 Cox Classic. His round included nine birdies and just one bogey, and he leads three players -- Benoit Beisser, Kevin Foley and Chris DeForest -- by one stroke heading into the weekend.

“I got off to a quick start again today with birdies on my first two holes after making birdies on my first three yesterday. My caddie and I talked today about talking through a few more shots so I wouldn’t play as fast. I also eliminated some of the mental errors I made yesterday,” DeCorso said. “I made three bogeys with wedges yesterday and that’s just a mental mistake. Today I played well off the tee and my mid-irons have been great.”

DeCorso grabbed the lead with birdies on two of his final three holes. With darkness looming, he drained a 15-footer at No. 16 to go to 9 under and then took sole possession of the lead when he made a 12-footer on No. 18 to finish at 10 under.

“I’m happy with how I’m playing and it’s nice to be in this position,” DeCorso added. Yesterday I threw away a bunch of shots with mistakes. I need to start shooting 64s and 65s out here. I’ve been shooting 69s and 70s and making cuts but finishing 30th, 40th and 50th. Guys go really low out here. I’m just happy I got a low number under my belt for a change.”

It appeared DeForest would be the clubhouse leader as the day was coming to a conclusion. After a stretch where he went eagle-birdie-eagle on Nos. 4-5-6 (he started at No. 10) to seize the lead at 11 under, he promptly finished with successive bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 to drop back into a three-way tie for second.

He was joined at 9 under by Beisser and Foley, two relative newcomers to the Web.com Tour. This was only Beisser’s fourth start on the Tour and Foley’s seventh. Foley had been competing on the eGolf Professional Tour earlier this year.

Beisser actually started the week as an alternate but was added to the field when there were some early week withdrawals. He has made just one cut this year at the United Leasing Championship, where he finished tied for 44th early last month.

“This is just my fourth event but I’ve only been able to prepare for just one of them. I played just nine holes here earlier this week, but today was a very good day for me. The key was my putting,” said Beisser. “I was hitting it absolutely all over the place yesterday and today and actually switched to my 3-wood later in my round today because I just wanted to get it in play, but once I got up around the green, there was a good chance they were going in.”

Friday Notes:

--A total of 67 players made the cut at 2 under par.

--Among the players missing the 36-hole cut were Kansas City native Michael Letzig (+5) and Derby, Kansas native Woody Austin (+3).

--Duffy Waldorf, who will celebrate his 50th birthday on Monday and make his Champions Tour at next week’s Boeing Classic, is bidding to go out with a bang. Waldorf fired a 6-under-par 65 on Friday and will begin the weekend tied for 10th.

--Alan Wagner was disqualified after his opening round for signing for an incorrect score.

--Bryan DeCorso has the most birdies (15) through two rounds.

--Defending champion James Nitties got himself back among the leaders after shooting a second-round 5-under-par 66 and is currently tied for fifth. Nitties is donating $20 for each birdie this week to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and $100 for every eagle. So far he has made 11 birdies for a total of $220.