Fri May 2 19:35:20 2008

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Bohn leads Wachovia; double-bogeys sidetrack Mickelson

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Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Finally free of the burden that came with worrying about his playing status, Jason Bohn can now focus on other things.

Like winning for the first time in three years.

Bohn shot a five-under 67 on Friday to take a two-shot lead after two rounds of the $6.4 million Wachovia Championship, holding off a host of challengers at Quail Hollow with a round that included six birdies and a bogey.

He was at nine-under 135 for a slim cushion over Anthony Kim, who matched Bohn with a five-under 67 to move into second place at seven-under 137.

Former champion Jim Furyk, George McNeill and Dudley Hart also posted 67s of their own and were tied for third place at six-under 138, while former winner Vijay Singh, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas were among the other players within five shots of Bohn's lead.

Phil Mickelson had two late double bogeys and fell seven shots off the lead.

Bohn began this season playing on a major medical exemption after missing the last six months of 2007 due to a rib injury he suffered at the Memorial.

By finishing sixth and winning $198,000 at last week's Verizon Heritage, he earned enough money to be granted a medical extension for the remainder of this season.

Which means Bohn can just relax and play -- beginning this weekend when he will carry a lead into the weekend with a chance to win more than $1.15 million, and continuing next week at the lucrative Players Championship.

"I'm totally freed up," said Bohn. "It was a big thing to make sure I got my medical situation taken care of and another huge thing to play in the Players Championship. Now I just want to play some good solid golf. And I've actually been doing that the last couple of weeks."

Mickelson flirted with the top of the leaderboard until two double-bogeys on his last four holes derailed him. He had a two-over 74 that left him seven shots back at minus-two.

The top-ranked player in the field with 2007 champion and world No. 1 Tiger Woods still recovering from knee surgery, Mickelson was just three shots off the lead when he drove behind a tree at the 15th hole.

He needed three more shots to reach the par-five green, eventually taking a double-bogey that dropped him five strokes behind Bohn. He hit into the water and made another double-bogey at the 18th hole.

The rest of Mickelson's scorecard reflected a solid, if not spectacular, round from the game's second-ranked player: three birdies and a bogey at the par- three second hole.

While Mickelson drove his round off a cliff late in the round, Bohn moved in and out of the lead.

McNeil had it after making a 32-foot birdie putt at the 11th hole, but Bohn tied him moments later when he knocked his tee shot to four feet at the par- three 13th to set up his fifth birdie.

Bohn then moved ahead with a three-foot birdie putt at the 15th, his sixth, and he saved par from a bunker at the tough 16th to stay in front.

McNeil tied him after that, two-putting from 24 feet for a birdie at the 15th, but he bogeyed his last three holes.

With a steady short game and sure putter, Bohn was able to avoid stretches of bad play on Friday. He finished the round with six birdies and just one bogey.

"I'm putting unbelievable," said Bohn. "I'm chipping it to 10, 12 feet and some of these pins are pretty tough. And I'm able to hole those par-saving putts, which totally keeps the round going."

Bohn's only PGA Tour win came at the 2005 B.C. Open, which played opposite the British Open and had a watered-down field. It's a much different situation this week.

Besides Woods, all the heavy hitters are at Quail Hollow.

"I'm looking forward to a great weekend," said Bohn, "and if I keep my putter hot, who knows?"

Among the top players who finished outside the plus-one cut line were world No. 4 Steve Stricker, Masters champion Trevor Immelman, Luke Donald, Stuart Appleby, Chris DiMarco, Justin Rose, Paul Casey, Jose Maria Olazabal, Davis Love III, Woody Austin, Mike Weir and Tim Clark.

David Toms, the 2003 champion and Thursday's overnight leader, stumbled to a 75 and dropped into a tie for 25th place at two-under 142.