HAMPSHIRE'S Justin Rose was on target to be the leading Englishman after two rounds of the US Open last night.

With five holes left as the Daily Echo went to press, Rose was on level par along with Padraig Harrington and Ernie Els.

Darren Clarke was on one under, but elsewhere the Brits were struggling.

Colin Montgomerie was two over after 31 while Brian Davis (three over), Paul Casey (five over), Paul Lawrie (nine over) and Nick Faldo (10 over) were back in the clubhouse.

Vijay Singh last night missed a golden opportunity to become the first man in golfing history to shoot a round of 62 in major championships.

The 40-year-old Fijian took advantage of an Olympia Fields course near Chicago offering so many birdies that it did not seem like a US Open at all.

On the par 70 lay-out he raced to seven under par after 15 holes and therefore needed one more birdie to knock one shot off the record first set by Johnny Miller in the event in 1973 - and matched 19 times since.

Singh was himself one of those who had achieved a 63, at the 1993 US PGA, but he missed 12-foot chances on the 16th and 17th and then drove into sand on the 460-yard last.

The former Masters and PGA champion had to settle for another par - and also therefore had to settle for joining Greg Norman as the only players to have two rounds of 63 in majors.

Singh had to be content with a share of something else as well - the lead in the tournament.

American Jim Furyk had earlier set a new 36-hole record for the US Open with his rounds of 67 and 66 and Singh, having started the day on level par, was alongside him going into the third day.

They were two ahead of Australian Stephen Leaney and three in front of a group that included defending champion Tiger Woods after a 66, Swede Fredrik Jacobson and two of the game's elder statesmen Eduardo Romero (48) and Nick Price (46).

Old they may be, but not as old as Tom Watson, who after the magic of his first day 65 managed only a 72, but stayed in the hunt at three under.

The 53-year-old is trying to become the oldest-ever winner of a major title - by five years - and if his display was disappointing after what had come before then the crowd did not let him think so. They cheered him onto every tee and green.

The reception, of course, was also for caddie Bruce Edwards, who has a fatal disease for which there is currently no cure.

LEADERBOARD

7 under - Jim Furyk (after 36 holes)

Vijay Singh (Fij) (34)

5 under - Stephen Leaney (Aus) (35)

4 under - Nick Price (Zim) (36)

Eduardo Romero (Arg) (36)

Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) (36)

Tiger Woods (36)

3 under - Tom Watson (36), Robert Damron (36), Justin Leonard (33)