Jason Day is in the mix again but he has plenty of work to do if he's to claim the world No.1 ranking in two days time.
Even when his game is a bit off, as it was on Saturday, world No.3 Day keeps pumping out sub-par rounds.
But his second consecutive three-under-par 68 in the second round of the second US PGA Tour playoffs tournament, the Deutsche Bank Championship, left him tied 10th and six shots behind leader Charley Hoffman (63) at the halfway point.
Chasing a third consecutive victory, following his triumphs at the US PGA Championship and last week at The Barclays - and needing to win go past Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth to become world No.1 - the Australian struggled off the tee.
He missed the fairway six times, spraying the ball on the 2nd, 7th, 9th, 12th, 13th and 14th holes at TPC Boston.
"I did hit a lot of greens, but I just didn't get it close enough to the hole and to try and hole 40-footers all day it's very difficult to do," Day said.
"I've got to try and straighten it up for the weekend."
The way looks clear for Day if he does fire up over the next two rounds as rankings rivals No.1 McIlroy and No.2 Spieth both floundered.
McIlroy had a day to forget, shooting a three-over 74 to be two-over for the tournament.
Spieth missed the cut for a second straight tournament at six-over.
Hoffman, who was out early for his second round, ripped the course apart with an eight-under round that featured nine birdies and one bogey.
Hoffman, who is hoping to make the US Presidents Cup team this week, was at 12-under 130 and three shots ahead of Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe.
Australia's Matt Jones was a shot further back after shooting a second consecutive 67 and tied with Americans Zach Johnson (65), Kevin Chappell (67) and Rickie Fowler (67).
Day got off to a slow start, making bogey at the third before hitting back with birdies at par fours the fourth and sixth and again at the 10th and 11th holes but he couldn't keep it going down the stretch.
Day said playing partner Spieth's problems appear to be more mental than physical.
"Who knows what's going on inside his head," Day said.
"We can analyse his swing, analyse why he's not putting well, not chipping the way he was prior to these last two tournaments. But upstairs, we can't read that.
"It is a lot of pressure for a 22-year-old kid even though he has had a stellar year."
Masters and US Open champion Spieth himself described his current funk as being like a bad dream, although having had so much success this year one could suggest it is more like a nightmare.
"It is almost like a bad dream. Just wake up and get the putts to go again," Spieth said.
"I had really bad self talk this week, something I hadn't experienced in quite a while," he said.
"Maybe heightened by everything that has happened this year.
"Not only was I out of it, but I was also outside the cut-line and maybe that heightened my self talk."
"I am going to take some time away. Probably be good for me to take at least four days and not touch a club."
John Senden was the only other Australian to make the cut but was out of contention at three-over. Marc Leishman and Steven Bowditch both missed the cut.
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