Brooks, who is ranked 528th in the world, fired an eagle and four birdies in a five-under-par 65 that gave him an 11-under aggregate of 129.
He is now on target to secure one of three spots for next week's British Open at St Andrews, providing he is among the highest three finishers in the top-10 who are not already exempt for golf's oldest major.
"It's been hard this season, I've missed so many cuts," Brooks told reporters. "It does get you down but it only takes one good week out here to turn it around and hopefully that’s what I’ll have."
Former U.S. Open champions Justin Rose (66) and Graeme McDowell (66) share second place on 132 with Ireland's Shane Lowry (66), American Ryan Palmer (65), Swede Johan Carlsson (67) and Briton Matthew Nixon (67).
Five-times major champion Phil Mickelson was eight strokes off the pace while fellow Americans Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar were five adrift of Brooks.
(Editing by Tom Hayward)
Share
