Second round leaderboard:
-14 J Rose (Eng) -10 K Sutherland (US) -9 V Singh (Fij), B Lunde (US), C Pavin (US), C Wi (Kor) -8 M Jones (Aus), V Taylor (US), G Chalmers (Aus) Selected others: -5 P Harrington (Ire) -3 R Goosen (SA) -1 M Laird (Sco), B Davis (Eng)

Rose is hoping his recent performances will earn him a place at the Open

England's Justin Rose set a record for the opening two days of the Travelers Championship as he carded an eight-under-par round of 62.

Rose hit five successive birdies on the back nine to go 14 under par at the River Highlands Club in Connecticut.

It gave him a four-shot lead as he bids to earn a place at next month's Open Championship at St Andrews.

American Kevin Sutherland hit a second successive five-under-par round of 65 to go a shot clear in second place.

South Korea's Charlie Wi, Fijian Vijay Singh, and Americans Bill Lunde and Corey Pavin are a further shot back on nine under after two rounds.

But Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who shared the overnight top spot with Rose, dropped back to five under par after hitting a one-over round of 71.

Rose is not about to rest on his laurels despite his lead. The 29-year-old from Hampshire put on a late surge to win his first PGA Tour title earlier this month and does not want to see someone do that to him.

"I've done it these two days so I know someone can do it this weekend," he said after his round.

After 162 US tour starts without a victory, Rose broke through with his maiden win at the Memorial tournament earlier this month.

"I think I'm just on a nice streak," he said. "I'm not getting in my way. I'm letting it happen. It's nice to not field the question, 'Can this be your first win?' I must say. That helps.

"Having done that, that's one question that it's just something less that I have to think about.

"Winning a tournament in its own right is difficult. So, when you have the added expectation of it trying to be your first, that can be harder sometimes."

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